Evading ageing: Metabolic and proteostatic adaptations in oocytes

Oocytes are female germ cells that become eggs. They have the remarkable ability to survive for long periods of time, up to 50 years in humans, while retaining the potential to give rise to a new organism. We know surprisingly little about the molecular mechanisms that protect oocytes from cellular ageing, and why these mechanisms eventually fail with advanced age.

In my talk, I will discuss our recent discoveries that address two major challenges oocytes face during their long lifespan. First, I will show how oocytes limit damage caused by Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) by rewiring their metabolism. Second,  I will describe how mouse and human oocytes manage protein aggregation and, more broadly, preserve protein homeostasis. Together, these discoveries highlight the remarkable adaptations of oocyte metabolism and proteostasis that support the long oocyte lifespan.

http://www.crg.eu/en/elvan-boke