Detienne, Giel et al. (2015) International Worm Meeting "Long live the queen: Apis royalactin extends life and improves health in C. elegans."

De Haes, Wouter, Temmerman, Liesbet, Detienne, Giel, Schoofs, Liliane, Ernst, Ulrich R.

[International Worm Meeting, 2015]

Royalactin is a glycoprotein essential for the development of long-lived queen honeybees. Of the genetically identical larvae, only those fed with royal jelly - containing royalactin - develop into queens. Royalactin plays a central role in this process by switching on the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor signaling pathway which ultimately leads to epigenetic changes and a long-lived queen phenotype. Recently it was shown that royalactin by itself also extends lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster. Yet, the mechanism by which royalactin promotes longevity remains largely unknown.We characterized the effects of royalactin on C. elegans lifespan and demonstrate that it requires both EGF (LIN-3) and its receptor (LET-23) to do so. Royalactin also enhances stress tolerance and locomotion in adult nematodes, suggesting a positive effect on healthspan as well. Further details on the signaling mechanisms involved in this process now emanate from our differential proteomics studies, comparing proteomes of royalactin-fed and control wild type animals. These experiments summarize the very first insights into the longevity-promoting actions of royalactin in a non-insect species.