Shaping longevity early in life: developmental ROS and H3K4me3 set the clock

Studies in Caenorhabditis elegans have revealed that even a genetically identical population of animals exposed to the same environment displays a remarkable level of variability in individual lifespan. Stochasticity factors, occurring seemingly by chance or at random, are thought to account for a large part of this variability. Recent studies in our lab using C. elegans now revealed that naturally occurring variations in the levels of reactive oxygen species experienced early in life contribute to the observed lifespan variability, and likely serve as stochasticity factors in aging. Here, we will highlight how developmental events can positively shape lifespan and stress responses via a redox-sensitive epigenetic regulator, and discuss the outstanding questions and future directions on the complex relationship between reactive oxygen species and aging.