Nature 462, 1061-1064 (24 December 2009) | doi:10.1038/nature08619; Received 8 September 2009; Accepted 29 October 2009; Published online 2 December 2009
Amino-acid imbalance explains extension of lifespan by dietary restriction in Drosophila
Richard C. Grandison1,2, Matthew D. W. Piper1,2 & Linda Partridge1
Institute of Healthy Ageing, Department of Genetics Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower St, London WC1E 6BT, UK
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Correspondence to: Linda Partridge1 Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to L.P. (Email: l.partridge AT ucl.ac.uk).
Abstract
Dietary restriction extends healthy lifespan in diverse organisms and reduces fecundity1, 2. It is widely assumed to induce adaptive reallocation of nutrients from reproduction to somatic maintenance, aiding survival of food shortages in nature3, 4, 5, 6. If this were the case, long life under dietary restriction and high fecundity under full feeding would be mutually exclusive, through competition for the same limiting nutrients. Here we report a test of this idea in which we identified the nutrients producing the responses of lifespan and fecundity to dietary restriction in Drosophila. Adding essential amino acids to the dietary restriction condition increased fecundity and decreased lifespan, similar to the effects of full feeding, with other nutrients having little or no effect. However, methionine alone was necessary and sufficient to increase fecundity as much as did full feeding, but without reducing lifespan. Reallocation of nutrients therefore does not explain the responses to dietary restriction. Lifespan was decreased by the addition of amino acids, with an interaction between methionine and other essential amino acids having a key role. Hence, an imbalance in dietary amino acids away from the ratio optimal for reproduction shortens lifespan during full feeding and limits fecundity during dietary restriction. Reduced activity of the insulin/insulin-like growth factor signalling pathway extends lifespan in diverse organisms7, and we find that it also protects against the shortening of lifespan with full feeding. In other organisms, including mammals, it may be possible to obtain the benefits to lifespan of dietary restriction without incurring a reduction in fecundity, through a suitable balance of nutrients in the diet.
(emphasis mine)
Edited by maxwatt, 27 December 2009 - 05:15 PM.