Characterization of hexose transporter genes in the views of the chronological life span and glucose uptake in fission yeast

Fission yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, possesses eight hexose transporters, Ght1 similar to 8. In order to clar-ify the role of each hexose transporter on glucose uptake, a glucose uptake assay system was estab-lished and the actual glucose uptake activity of each hexose transporter-deletion mutant was measured. Under normal growth condition containing 2% glucose, increment ght5 and increment ght2 mutants showed large and small decrease in glucose uptake activity, respec-tively. On the other hand, the other deletion mutants did not show any decrease in glucose uptake activ-ity indicating that, in the presence of Ght5 and Ght2, the other hexose transporters do not play a signifi-cant role in glucose uptake. To understand the relevance between glucose uptake and lifespan regulation, we measured the chronological lifespan of each hexose transporter deletion mutant, and found that only increment ght5 mutant showed a significant lifespan extension. Based on these results we showed that Ght5 is mainly involved in the glucose uptake in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and suggested that the increment ght 5 mutant has prolonged lifespan due to physiological changes similar to calorie restriction.

Automated summary

Based on the experimental results, it was found that Ght5 plays a major role in glucose uptake in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and the deletion mutant of Ght5 showed a significant lifespan extension.