Understanding diapause and its ability to suspend aging in vertebrates
Many organisms in the wild have evolved states of dormancy to survive unfavorable conditions. Diapause is a fascinating form of dormancy that can suspend development and, more importantly, preserve life for an extended period of time without tradeoffs of the subsequent lifespan. Diapause is thus considered by many a “non-aging” state. Using the African killifish Nothobranchius furzerias their research organism, Dr. Hu’s lab found that Polycomb complexes play critical roles in diapause. Here they hypothesize that Polycomb complexes, through different specialized subunits, regulate tissue homeostasis to maintain a non-aging state during diapause. Dr. Hu is focusing on two complementary aspects of the Polycomb complex – its key subunits and its depository histone mark. This project will give insights into the molecular mechanisms of diapause and its ability to suspend aging. It will also set up a powerful framework for a promising research direction of preserving life in vertebrates.
