AMPK and calcineurin induced longevity is mediated by CRTC-1 and CREB. Caenorhabditis elegans

AMPK (AAK-2) and calcineurin (TAX-6) mediate longevity exclusively through post-translational modification of CRTC-1, the sole C. elegans CRTC (CREB regulated transcriptional coactivator). We performed microarrays to examine the transcriptional responses elicited by the pro-longevity: activation of AMPK, deactivation of calcineurin, and decrease of CREB (CRH-1) activity. Overall design: Gene expression profiles for crh1 (nn3315) and tax-6 (ok2065) mutants, aak-2c (aa1-321) overexpressers and WT (N2) controls were obtained by measuring RNA levels in replicate pools of 3000 synchronized L4 worms. Three replicate pools of each strain were prepared on separate days.