High transcript levels of heat-shock genes are associated with shorter lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans

Individual lifespans of isogenic organisms, such as Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes, fruit flies, and mice, vary greatly even under identical environmental conditions. To study the molecular mechanisms responsible for such variability, we used an assay based on the measurement of post-reproductive nematode movements stimulated by a moderate electric field. This assay allows for the separation of individual nematodes based on their speed. We show that this phenotype could be used as a biomarker for aging because it is a better predictor of lifespan than chronological age. Fast nematodes have longer lifespans, fewer protein carbonyls, higher heat-shock resistance, and higher transcript levels of the daf-16 and hsf-1 genes, which code for the stress response transcription factors, than slow nematodes. High transcript levels of the genes coding for heat-shock proteins observed in slow nematodes correlate with lower heat-shock resistance, more protein carbonyls, and shorter lifespan. Taken together, our data suggests that shorter lifespan results from early-life damage accumulation that causes subsequent faster age-related deterioration. •Nematode speed in an electric field is a biomarker of biological age.•Fast nematodes have long lifespan, few protein carbonyls and high heat-shock resistance.•Slow nematodes have short lifespan and high transcript levels of small heat-shock protein genes.