Figure 3: gbb-1 acts in neurons to regulate lifespan.

(a) Transgenic expression of gbb-1 in neurons (log-rank test, P=0.198), but not in the intestine (log-rank test, P<0.001) or muscles (log-rank test, P<0.001), suppresses the long-lived phenotype of gbb-1 mutant worms (log-rank test, P<0.001). The rgef-1, ges-1 and myo-3 promoters were used to drive gbb-1 cDNA expression in neurons, intestine and muscles, respectively^61,62,63 (n=47–63 for different genotypes). (b) Overexpression of gbb-1 cDNA in neurons shortens lifespan (log-rank test, P=0.001, n=53–72 for different genotypes). Each plasmid DNA listed above was injected at a concentration of 50 ng μl⁻¹. All lifespan assays were carried out at 20 °C and were repeated at least three times. Please see Supplementary Table 1 for detailed statistical analysis of lifespan data.