Identification of sur2 mutation affecting the lifespan of fission yeast

Yeast is a suitable model system to analyze the mechanism of lifespan. In this study, to identify novel factors involved in chronological lifespan, we isolated a mutant with a long chronological lifespan and found a missense mutation in the sur2(+) gene, which encodes a homolog of Saccharomyces cereuisiae sphingolipid C4-hydroxylase in fission yeast. Characterization of the mutant revealed that loss of sur2 function resulted in an extended chronological lifespan. The effect of caloric restriction, a well-known signal for extending lifespan, is thought to be dependent on the sur2(+) gene.

Automated summary

Yeast is a suitable model system for analyzing lifespan mechanisms. In this study, a mutant with an extended chronological lifespan was isolated, and a missense mutation in the sur2(+) gene was identified as being responsible. Loss of sur2 function was found to result in an extended chronological lifespan, and the effect of caloric restriction, a well-known lifespan-extending signal, was suggested to be dependent on the sur2(+) gene.