C. elegans gro-1 gene

Abstract

The invention relates to the identification of gro-1 gene and to demonstrate that the gro-1 gene is involved in the control of a central physiological clock. Also disclosed are four other genes located within the same operon as the gro-1 gene.

1 . A gro-1 gene which has a function at the level of cellular physiology involved in developmental rate and longevity, wherein gro-1 mutations cause a longer life and an altered cellular metabolism relative to the wild-type, wherein gro-1 gene has the identifying characteristics of nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3.  
     
     
         2 . The gro-1 gene of  claim 1 , which codes for a GRO-1 protein having the amino acid sequence set forth in FIGS.  9 A-9B as deduced from SEQ ID NO:3.  
     
     
         3 . A gro-1 co-expressed gene which comprises a gop-1 gene which codes for a GOP-1 protein having the amino acid sequence set forth in  FIGS. 13A-13C  (SEQ ID. NO:4); wherein said gop-1 gene is located in the gro-1 operon and said gop-1 gene is transcriptionally co-expressed with gro-1 gene present in said operon.  
     
     
         4 . A gro-1 co-expressed gene which comprises a gop-2 gene which codes for a GOP-2 protein having the amino acid sequence set forth in FIGS.  14 A-B (SEQ ID. NO:5); wherein said gop-2 gene is located in the gro-1 operon and said gop-2 gene is transcriptionally co-expressed with gro-1 gene present in said operon.  
     
     
         5 . A gop-3 gene which codes for a GOP-3 protein having the amino acid sequence set forth in  FIGS. 15A-15B  (SEQ ID. NO:6); wherein said gop-3 gene is located in the gro-1 operon and said gop-3 gene is transcriptionally co-expressed with gro-1 gene present in said operon.  
     
     
         6 . A hap-1 gene which codes for a HAP-1 protein having the amino acid sequence set forth in FIGS.  16 A-B (SEQ ID. NO:7); wherein said hap-1 gene is located in the gro-1 operon and said hap-1 gene is transcriptionally co-expressed with gro-1 gene present in said operon.  
     
     
         7 . A GRO-1 protein which has a function at the level of cellular physiology involved in developmental rate and longevity, wherein said GRO-1 protein is encoded by the gene of claims  1  and  2 .  
     
     
         8 . A mutant GRO-1 protein which has the amino acid sequence set forth in  FIG. 3D .  
     
     
         9 . A GRO-1 protein which has the amino acid sequence set forth in  FIGS. 3A-3C  (SEQ ID. NO:2).  
     
     
         10 . A GRO-1 co-expressed protein which comprises a GOP-1 protein encoded by the gene according to  claim 3;  wherein said protein which has the amino acid sequence set forth in  FIGS. 13A-13C  (SEQ ID. NO:4) and human homolog thereof.  
     
     
         11 . A GRO-1 co-expressed protein which comprises a GOP-2 protein encoded by the gene according to  claim 4;  wherein said protein which has the amino acid sequence set forth in  FIG. 14  (SEQ ID. NO:5) and human homolog thereof.  
     
     
         12 . A GOP-3 protein encoded by the gene according to  claim 5;  wherein said protein which has the amino acid sequence set forth in  FIGS. 15A-15B  (SEQ ID. NO:6) and human homolog thereof.  
     
     
         13 . A HAP-1 protein encoded by the gene according to  claim 6;  wherein said protein which has the amino acid sequence set forth in  FIG. 16  (SEQ ID. NO:7).  
     
     
         14 . A method for the diagnosis and/or prognosis of cancer in a patient, which comprises the steps of: 
 a) obtaining a tissue sample from said patient;    b) analyzing DNA of the obtained tissue sample of step a) to determine if the human gro-1 gene is altered, wherein alteration of the human gro-1 gene is indicative of cancer.    
     
     
         15 . A mouse model of aging and cancer, which comprises a gene knock-out of murine gene homologous to gro-1 gene of claims  1  and  2 .  
     
     
         16 . A method of regulating physiological processes of tissues, organs and/or whole organism of a host which comprises a compound interfering with enzymatic activity of GRO-1 of  claim 7 ,  8  or  9 .  
     
     
         17 . A method of regulating physiological processes of tissues, organs and/or whole organism of a host which comprises a compound interfering with enzymatic activity of GOP-1 of  claim 10 .  
     
     
         18 . A method of regulating physiological processes of tissues, organs and/or whole organism of a host which comprises a compound interfering with enzymatic activity of GOP-2 of  claim 11 .  
     
     
         19 . A method of regulating physiological processes of tissues, organs and/or whole organism of a host which comprises a compound interfering with enzymatic activity of GOP-3 of  claim 12 .  
     
     
         20 . A method of regulating physiological processes of tissues, organs and/or whole organism of a host which comprises a compound interfering with enzymatic activity of HAP-1 of  claim 13.