ecl family genes: Factors linking starvation and lifespan extension in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

• Published in: Molecular microbiology 2023-11, Vol.120 (5), p.645-657
• Main Authors: Ohtsuka, Hokuto, Otsubo, Yoko, Shimasaki, Takafumi, Yamashita, Akira, Aiba, Hirofumi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Autophagy; Cell Cycle; Cell differentiation; Environmental factors; Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal - genetics; Genes; Kinases; Life span; Longevity - genetics; Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 - metabolism; Proteins; Rapamycin; Regulatory mechanisms (biology); Schizosaccharomyces - genetics; Schizosaccharomyces - metabolism; Schizosaccharomyces pombe; Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins - genetics; Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins - metabolism; Sex differentiation; Starvation; Stationary phase; TOR protein; Yeasts
• ISSN: 0950-382X; 1365-2958
• DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15134

In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the duration of survival in the stationary phase, termed the chronological lifespan (CLS), is affected by various environmental factors and the corresponding gene activities. The ecl family genes were identified in the genomic region encoding non-coding RNA as positive regulators of CLS in S. pombe, and subsequently shown to encode relatively short proteins. Several studies revealed that ecl family genes respond to various nutritional starvation conditions via different mechanisms, and they are additionally involved in stress resistance, autophagy, sexual differentiation, and cell cycle control. Recent studies reported that Ecl family proteins strongly suppress target of rapamycin complex 1, which is a conserved eukaryotic nutrient-sensing kinase complex that also regulates longevity in a variety of organisms. In this review, we introduce the regulatory mechanisms of Ecl family proteins and discuss their emerging findings.