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Translation fidelity coevolves with longevity.

Zhonghe Ke¹, Pramit Mallik¹, Adam B Johnson¹

¹Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA.

|July 15, 2017

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Higher translation fidelity, or accuracy in protein synthesis, correlates with longer maximum lifespans in rodents. This suggests protein synthesis accuracy, not just error rate changes with age, is key to longevity.

Keywords:

aging comparative biology longevity translation fidelity

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Area of Science:

Gerontology
Molecular Biology
Evolutionary Biology

Background:

The role of protein synthesis errors in aging is debated, with some theories suggesting accumulating errors contribute to aging.
Previous studies have not found significant increases in translation errors with age, leaving the question of translation fidelity's role in aging open.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between translation fidelity and maximum lifespan across 17 rodent species.
To determine if translation fidelity is a conserved trait associated with longevity.

Main Methods:

Utilized luciferase-based reporter constructs with specific mutations to quantify amino acid misincorporation frequencies.
Analyzed translation fidelity across 17 rodent species with varying maximum lifespans.
Performed phylogenetic correction to account for evolutionary relationships.

Main Results:

A significant negative correlation was observed between the frequency of amino acid misincorporation (at the first and second codon positions) and maximum lifespan.
This correlation remained robust after phylogenetic correction, indicating co-evolution of translation fidelity and longevity.
The basal rate of translation errors, rather than age-related increases in errors, appears crucial for defining mammalian lifespan.

Conclusions:

Translation fidelity is a significant factor in determining maximum lifespan across rodent species.
Protein synthesis accuracy, a conserved trait, coevolves with longevity.
These findings highlight the importance of the basal rate of protein synthesis errors in the aging process.