Abstract
The dauer larva of Caenorhabditis elegans, destined to survive long periods of food scarcity and harsh environment, does not feed and has a very limited exchange of matter with the exterior. It was assumed that the survival time is determined by internal energy stores. Here, we show that ethanol can provide a potentially unlimited energy source for dauers by inducing a controlled metabolic shift that allows it to be metabolized into carbohydrates, amino acids, and lipids. Dauer larvae provided with ethanol survive much longer and have greater desiccation tolerance. On the cellular level, ethanol prevents the deterioration of mitochondria caused by energy depletion. By modeling the metabolism of dauers of wild‐type and mutant strains with and without ethanol, we suggest that the mitochondrial health and survival of an organism provided with an unlimited source of carbon depends on the balance between energy production and toxic product(s) of lipid metabolism.
Highlights
To survive periods of food deficiency or seasonally induced stress, such as drought or temperature extremes, Caenorhabditis elegans enters diapause by forming a specialized larva called a dauer (Riddle, 1988)
We show that ethanol can provide a potentially unlimited energy source for dauers by inducing a controlled metabolic shift that allows it to be metabolized into carbohydrates, amino acids, and lipids
By modeling the metabolism of dauers of wild-type and mutant strains with and without ethanol, we suggest that the mitochondrial health and survival of an organism provided with an unlimited source of carbon depends on the balance between energy production and toxic product(s) of lipid metabolism
Summary
To survive periods of food deficiency or seasonally induced stress, such as drought or temperature extremes, Caenorhabditis elegans enters diapause by forming a specialized larva called a dauer (Riddle, 1988) These non-feeding larvae remain sealed off from the surrounding environment and so depend on their internal energy sources to support basal physiological processes. The ability to metabolize ethanol prolongs the survival time of wild-type and mutant dauer larvae significantly and makes them resistant to desiccation. We suggest that this is an adaptation to the situation in nature, where C. elegans could use ethanol produced by some bacteria and yeast. To explain the mechanism of ethanol-mediated lifespan extension in dauers, we propose a model in which a toxic component derived from lipids leads to mitochondrial death even in the presence of a practically unlimited energy source
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