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Updated: Oct 16, 2025
Dietary Supplementation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: November 29, 2013
Fatty acid desaturation is essential for C. elegans longevity at high temperature
Lei Zhou1, Haixiang Tong2, Haiqing Tang2
1School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 401331, China; State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Sericulture, Textile and Biomass Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China.
Fatty acid desaturation aids longevity during temperature stress, contrary to its role in cellular survival. Oleic acid specifically supports animal survival by activating defense genes via HSF-1.
Area of Science:
- Metabolomics
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Metabolic reprogramming is key for adapting to temperature stress.
- Fatty acid (FA) desaturation typically decreases at high temperatures to maintain cell membrane fluidity and survival.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of FA desaturation in organismal longevity under temperature upshift.
- To uncover the specific FAs and molecular mechanisms involved in high-temperature adaptation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism.
- Analyzed changes in total fat and unsaturated FA (UFA) species at elevated temperatures.
- Investigated the role of oleic acid (OA) and its downstream effects on HSF-1 and gene expression.
Main Results:
- FA desaturation is essential for longevity at high temperatures, contradicting its role in cellular survival.
- High temperatures increase total fat and specific UFA levels, notably oleic acid (OA).
- OA is crucial for animal survival at high temperatures, acting through HSF-1 to promote histone acetylation and defense gene expression.
Conclusions:
- FA desaturation plays a novel, beneficial role in organismal fitness during temperature upshift.
- Organismal survival under heat stress requires different metabolic strategies than cellular survival.
- Oleic acid and HSF-1 signaling are critical components of the high-temperature stress response pathway.
