Multi-omics analysis identifies essential regulators of mitochondrial stress response in two wild-type C. elegans strains

The mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) is a promising pharmacological target for aging and age-related diseases. However, the integrative analysis of the impact of UPRmt activation on different signaling layers in animals with different genetic backgrounds is lacking. Here, we applied systems approaches to investigate the effect of UPRmt induced by doxycycline (Dox) on transcriptome, proteome, and lipidome in two genetically divergent worm strains, named N2 and CB4856. From the integrated omics datasets, we found that Dox prolongs lifespan of both worm strains through shared and strain-specific mechanisms. Specifically, Dox strongly impacts mitochondria, upregulates defense response, and lipid metabolism, while decreasing triglycerides. We further validated that lipid genes acs-2/20 and fat-7/6 were required for Dox-induced UPRmt and longevity in N2 and CB4856 worms, respectively. Our data have translational value as they indicate that the beneficial effects of Dox-induced UPRmt on lifespan are consistent across different genetic backgrounds through different regulators.