How can a worm’s intestine influence its descendants’ lifespan? This episode explores how lysosomes send metabolic signals through the epigenome to extend longevity across generations.
Researchers found that activating lysosomal lipid metabolism triggers transcriptional up-regulation of a histone variant, H3.3 (his-71), in the intestine. This histone is transported to the germ line, where it’s methylated at K79 by the methyltransferase DOT-1.3. The result is a heritable epigenetic state that promotes longer life across multiple generations of C. elegans.
The work reveals how metabolic signalling through lysosomes interacts with chromatin to link soma and germ line, showing how environmental changes like starvation can shape longevity inheritance.
📖 Based on: Zhang Q., Dang W., Wang M.C. Science (2025). “Lysosomes signal through the epigenome to regulate longevity across generations.” https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adn8754
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