Dissemin is shutting down on January 1st, 2025

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National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 14(121), 2024

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313538121

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Elimination of virus-like particles reduces protein aggregation and extends replicative lifespan in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

A major consequence of aging and stress, in yeast to humans, is an increased accumulation of protein aggregates at distinct sites within the cells. Using genetic screens, immunoelectron microscopy, and three-dimensional modeling in our efforts to elucidate the importance of aggregate annexation, we found that most aggregates in yeast accumulate near the surface of mitochondria. Further, we show that virus-like particles (VLPs), which are part of the retrotransposition cycle of Ty elements, are markedly enriched in these sites of protein aggregation. RNA interference-mediated silencing of Ty expression perturbed aggregate sequestration to mitochondria, reduced overall protein aggregation, mitigated toxicity of a Huntington’s disease model, and expanded the replicative lifespan of yeast in a partially Hsp104-dependent manner. The results are in line with recent data demonstrating that VLPs might act as aging factors in mammals, including humans, and extend these findings by linking VLPs to a toxic accumulation of protein aggregates and raising the possibility that they might negatively influence neurological disease progression.