Aging is an inevitable component of life across phyla, and is universally accompanied by diminished strength and mobility. In humans, this is called sarcopenia and is thought to be the primary contributor to frailty. A general goal of aging research is therefore to understand and combat sarcopenia. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a powerful system that can be used to study this age-associated complication. A type of molecule known to modulate the aging process is called microRNA (miRNA). miRNAs are small single-stranded RNA molecules that target mRNA transcripts to regulate gene expression. One miRNA of interest in our laboratory is mir-34. The mir-34 sequence is highly conserved in evolution and is found from C. elegans to humans, which suggests a universal role for this miRNA in fundamental biology. In C. elegans, mir-34 expression levels rise with age and depletion of functional mir-34 molecules extends lifespan. To increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of action of mir-34 in sarcopenia, we first want to define the age-related decline in physical capacity of genetic mutants with mir-34 loss of function (lf). We cleaned mir-34(lf) animals of unwanted additional mutations by a series of genetic outcrosses with wild types. Next, we will measure the physical capacity of aging mir-34(lf) mutants in liquid using software our laboratory developed called CeleST. CeleST provides a detailed account of the physical capacity of animals via an output of ten swim parameter measures. We would expect that mir-34(lf) will exhibit delayed sarcopenia and thus extended muscle healthspan.

Understanding aging biology: The role of mir-34 in sarcopenia

251st National Meeting (2016)

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