Searching for the elusive mitochondrial longevity signal in C. elegans.

There is a growing list of examples where perturbed mitochondrial function is associated with increased longevity, yet the exact mechanisms have remained elusive. This phenomenon was first documented, and has been studied most extensively, in C. elegans. One prominent model proposed that lifespan extension resulting from electron transport chain inhibition is due to induction of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response. This model requires revision in light of recent data showing that the mitochondrial unfolded protein response, as defined by the field, is neither necessary nor sufficient for lifespan extension in C. elegans. Several additional factors have been proposed to underlie this lifespan extension, which is likely to be multifactorial and complex.