Protein Metabolism and Homeostasis in Aging [electronic resource] / edited by Nektarios Tavernarakis.

Synthesis, Modification and Turnover of Proteins during Aging -- Regulation of mRNA Translation as a Conserved Mechanism of Longevity Control -- Protein Synthesis and the Antagonistic Pleiotropy Hypothesis of Aging -- Proteasome Function Determines Cellular Homeostasis and the Rate of Aging -- Autophagy and Longevity: Lessons from C. elegans -- Autophagy and Aging: Lessons from Progeria Models -- Regulation of Protein Turnover by Longevity Pathways -- Protein Metabolism and Lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans -- Mitochondrial Protein Quality Control Systems in Aging and Disease -- p38MAPK in the Senescence of Human and Murine Fibroblasts -- Protein Homeostasis in Models of Aging and Age-Related Conformational Disease -- Roles for SUMO Modification during Senescence -- Post-Translational Modification of Cellular Proteins by Ubiquitin and Ubiquitin-Like Molecules: Role in Cellular Senescence and Aging -- Sensory Influence on Homeostasis and Lifespan: Molecules and Circuits -- Regulation of Muscle Atrophy in Aging and Disease -- Confronting Cellular Heterogeneity in Studies of Protein Metabolism and Homeostasis in Aging Research.

Aging is loosely defined as the accumulation of changes in an organism over time. At the cellular level such changes are distinct and multidimensional: DNA replication ceases, cells stop dividing, they become senescent and eventually die. DNA metabolism and chromosomal maintenance, together with protein metabolism are critical in the aging process. The focus of this book is on the role of protein metabolism and homeostasis in aging. An overview is provided of the current knowledge in the area, including protein synthesis, accuracy and repair, post-translational modifications, degradation and turnover, and how they define and influence aging. The chapters mainly focus on well-characterised factors and pathways, but new areas are also presented, where associations with aging are just being elucidated by current experimental data. Protein turnover, the balance between protein synthesis and protein degradation are carefully maintained in healthy cells. Chapters 1 and 2 illustrate that aging cells are characterised by alterations in the rate, level and accuracy of protein synthesis compared to young ones, and that mRNA translation, essential for cell growth and survival, is controlled at multiple levels. The theory that growth and somatic maintenance are believed to be antagonistic processes is described in Chapter 3: inhibition of protein synthesis results in decreased rates of growth and development, but also confers an extension of lifespan, as shown for example by the effects of dietary restriction in various models organisms.

ZDB-2-SBL