Nuclear tRNA sequestering slows aging by a mechanism similar to dietary restriction

Dietary restriction (DR) is the best-characterized intervention for slowing aging, and reduced signaling through the target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase is believed to be one of the key mechanisms by which DR extends life span in organisms from yeast to mammals. Here we describe a role for nuclear sequestration of tRNA in yeast replicative life span (RLS) extension from DR. DR causes the nuclear tRNA exporter Los1 to become depleted from the nucleus by a mechanism that requires the DNA damage response factor Rad53, and deletion of LOS1 or overexpression of RAD53 is sufficient to extend RLS. We further report that activation of the nitrogen responsive transcription factor Gln3 is the primary mechanism by which DR extends RLS. Gln3 is activated by both branches of the DR response and is required for life span extension. Overexpression of Gln3 extends RLS by approximately 50%. In order to identify potential factors acting to modulate longevity downstream of Los1, we used microarray analysis to compare the gene expression profiles of wild type and LOS1 knockout cells under non-restricted conditions cultured overnight prior to RNA isolation.