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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2017 Jun 15.
Published in final edited form as: Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2014 Jul 15;26:66–72. doi: 10.1016/j.gde.2014.06.003

Table 1. Nutrient sensors linking the clock system to the aging process.

Protein Circadian function Aging phenotype Reference
SIRT1 Regulates the circadian clock by BMAL1 and PER2 deacetylation. Activates BMAL1 and CLOCK in the SCN in young mice Modulates mitochondrial function through NAD+ levels in young mice [7,8,33••,37••]
SIRT3 Modulates the circadian activity of the mitochondria by rhythms in the acetylation and activation of oxidative enzymes In stems cells reverts the effect of aging-oxidative stress in mitochondria activating the anti-oxidative defense system [40••,41•]
mTOR Modulates rhythmically the translational control in circadian genes through 4E-BP1 Its inhibition extends lifespan in mice [24,45•,49]
AMPK Phosphorylates and destabilizes CRY1 altering the circadian rhythms in mice Activated under low ATP levels, inhibits mTOR, and its pharmacological activation extend lifespan in mice [52,55]