Regulation of Caenorhabditis elegans vitellogenesis by DAF-2/IIS through separable transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms

In order to identify mechanisms that suppress vitellogenesis under prolongevity conditions, we studied factors regulating vitellogenesis in C. elegans nematodes. In C. elegans, vitellogenesis is depressed in the absence of insulin-like signaling (IIS). We found that the C. elegans daf-2/IIS pathway regulates vitellogenesis through two mechanisms. vit-2 transcript levels in daf-2 mutants were indirectly regulated through a germline-dependent signal, and could be rescued by introduction of daf-2(+) sperm. However, yolk protein (YP) levels in daf-2 mutants were also regulated by germline-independent posttranscriptional mechanisms.C. elegans vitellogenesis is regulated transcriptionally and posttranscriptionally in response to environmental and reproductive cues. The daf-2 pathway suppressed vitellogenesis through transcriptional mechanisms reflecting reproductive phenotypes, as well as distinct posttranscriptional mechanisms. This study reveals that pleiotropic effects of IIS pathway mutations can converge on a common downstream target, vitellogenesis, as a mechanism to modulate longevity.According to evolutionary theories of aging, lifespan evolves as a trade-off between the metabolic costs of somatic maintenance with those of reproduction. Reproductive processes such as egg production and progeny rearing are energy-intense and drain resources away from processes that promote somatic maintenance. Studies have provided evidence for a trade-off between reproduction and survival. For example, experimentally increased egg production in wild seabirds is associated with lower rates of postmigratory return to breeding grounds [1,2]. One mechanism by which organisms can regulate the relative burdens of reproduction and somatic maintenance in response to environmental conditions is through phenotypic plasticity of life-history traits, such as growth and reproduction [3]. Plasticity in life-history traits can affect lifespan directly, such as to delay reproduction until environ