Specific translation during aging mediated by phosphorylation of Schizosaccharomyces pombe eIF2alpha

Aging is a highly regulated process in eukaryotes. Many biochemical pathways are affected by aging and, among them, protein homeostasis is one key process. Our hypothesis is that protein translation may be important to maintain a correct balance of active, properly folded proteins in the cell and, therefore, help supporting a normal longevity. Phosphorylation of eIF2alpha is one of the most important regulatory steps in protein translation in eukaryotes, reducing total protein translation and promoting the specific production of some proteins (Gcn4, Atf4, etc) We decided to test whether eIF2alpha phosphorylation has specific roles in protein translation during aging in Schizosaccharomyces pombe We took samples of fission yeast cells at exponential phase (0 hours) or at the early entry into stationary phase (6 hours) and analysed total RNA and mRNAs bound to polysomes in wild type and eIF2alpha.S52A mutant strain