Characterization of C. elegans Reproductive-Extension Genes repx-1 and far-2

Abstract

Reproductive decline in females is one of the earliest signs of aging in the human population. With more women having children later in life, understanding the genetic and molecular causes of reproductive decline is becoming increasingly important. C. elegans, a commonly-studied nematode, also experience a similar reproductive decline marked by decreasing oocyte quality. A mutagenesis experiment and reproductive screen were completed to identify new components of the molecular pathways that control reproductive aging—two notable mutants were identified: repx-1 and ¬far-2. Further characterization of these two genes unveiled their effect on improving oocyte quality with age—repx-1 acts to extend reproductive span through decrease in oocyte quality decline without extending the overall lifespan of the C. elegans. Transcriptional profiles of these mutants were also generated using microarray analysis to create a preliminary list of significantly up-regulated and down-regulated genes.