Long-Term Stress Adaptation as a Highly-Conserved Key Factor in Yeast Aging.

Area of Science:

• Cellular and Molecular Biology
• Genetics and Evolution
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Aging is traditionally seen as accumulated damage.
• Emerging research suggests aging might be an adaptive stress response.
• Understanding the molecular basis of aging requires investigating stress impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how different phases of environmental stress affect cellular physiology and lifespan.
• To investigate the molecular mechanisms linking stress response and aging.
• To determine if aging is an evolutionarily conserved adaptation.

Main Methods:

• Transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
• Analysis of short-term, long-term, and recovery phases of stress exposure.
• Phylogenetic analysis of stress- and aging-related genes.

Main Results:

• Short-term stress enhanced stress resilience and proteostasis via specific metabolites (trehalose, 5'-methylthioadenosine).
• Prolonged stress led to loss of proteostasis, reduced energy homeostasis, and shortened lifespan.
• Recovery restored beneficial metabolites, indicating reversible aging trajectories.
• Stress- and aging-related genes are conserved across eukaryotes and prokaryotes.

Conclusions:

• Aging-associated molecular changes are linked to conserved stress response pathways.
• Aging may represent a long-term adaptive response to environmental stress.
• Findings offer insights into the hallmarks of aging and their evolutionary basis.