← Browse entries

mrpl-2

C. elegans

Large ribosomal subunit protein uL2 C-terminal domain-containing protein;Ribosomal_L2_C domain-containing protein

What the model saw

Gene: mrpl-2
Organism: Caenorhabditis elegans
Known functions: Large ribosomal subunit protein uL2 C-terminal domain-containing protein;Ribosomal_L2_C domain-containing protein. RNA binding. structural constituent of ribosome.
View unredacted entry
Large ribosomal subunit protein uL2 C-terminal domain-containing protein;Ribosomal_L2_C domain-containing protein. RNA binding. structural constituent of ribosome.

Solver output

Predicted influence
Pro-longevity
Confidence
62%
Mechanism
Mitochondrial dysfunction
Reasoning

mrpl-2 encodes the mitochondrial large ribosomal subunit protein uL2, which is a structural constituent of the mitochondrial ribosome (mitoribosome) responsible for translating mitochondrially-encoded proteins. Partial loss-of-function of mitoribosomal subunits in C. elegans is well-documented to activate the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) via the ATFS-1/DVE-1 pathway, which paradoxically extends lifespan. This phenomenon, termed mitohormesis, occurs when mild mitochondrial translation impairment triggers a compensatory stress response that improves proteostasis and metabolic efficiency. Knockdown of mrpl-2 (like other mrpl genes) reduces mitochondrial OXPHOS complex assembly, lowering ROS production and activating longevity-promoting transcriptional programs. Thus, the normal function of mrpl-2 (supporting full mitochondrial translation) is associated with a pro-longevity outcome when mildly reduced, but the gene's intact function itself supports mitochondrial homeostasis, placing it in a nuanced pro-longevity category through UPRmt signaling.

Key pathways
mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt)mitochondrial translation / OXPHOS complex assemblymitohormesis / ATFS-1 signaling
Longevity influence
Anti-longevity
Lifespan effect
Increase

GenAge curators classify each gene's normal function as promoting (Pro-Longevity) or opposing (Anti-Longevity) longevity, based on synthesis across studies. Loss-of-function effects can vary from this depending on the manipulation.

Advisor judgment

Answer
Incorrect
Mechanism
Incorrect
Reasoning quality
2/5
Failure mode
Confident wrong
Notes

The model predicted pro_longevity but the ground truth is anti_longevity. The model's reasoning is internally confused: it correctly identifies that mrpl-2 knockdown can activate UPRmt and extend lifespan (which would make mrpl-2 anti_longevity — i.e., its normal function opposes longevity), but then incorrectly concludes the gene is pro_longevity. The GenAge classification of anti_longevity means that the gene's normal function works against longevity (i.e., reducing it extends life), which is exactly what the UPRmt/mitohormesis mechanism would predict. The model essentially described the correct mechanism but drew the opposite conclusion about the longevity influence classification. This is a case of right mechanistic description but wrong final answer due to misinterpretation of the pro/anti longevity framing.

Raw API responses

solver

{
  "reasoning": "mrpl-2 encodes the mitochondrial large ribosomal subunit protein uL2, which is a structural constituent of the mitochondrial ribosome (mitoribosome) responsible for translating mitochondrially-encoded proteins. Partial loss-of-function of mitoribosomal subunits in C. elegans is well-documented to activate the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) via the ATFS-1/DVE-1 pathway, which paradoxically extends lifespan. This phenomenon, termed mitohormesis, occurs when mild mitochondrial translation impairment triggers a compensatory stress response that improves proteostasis and metabolic efficiency. Knockdown of mrpl-2 (like other mrpl genes) reduces mitochondrial OXPHOS complex assembly, lowering ROS production and activating longevity-promoting transcriptional programs. Thus, the normal function of mrpl-2 (supporting full mitochondrial translation) is associated with a pro-longevity outcome when mildly reduced, but the gene's intact function itself supports mitochondrial homeostasis, placing it in a nuanced pro-longevity category through UPRmt signaling.",
  "confidence": 0.62,
  "key_pathways": [
    "mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt)",
    "mitochondrial translation / OXPHOS complex assembly",
    "mitohormesis / ATFS-1 signaling"
  ],
  "mechanism_class": "mitochondrial_dysfunction",
  "longevity_influence": "pro_longevity"
}

advisor

{
  "notes": "The model predicted pro_longevity but the ground truth is anti_longevity. The model's reasoning is internally confused: it correctly identifies that mrpl-2 knockdown can activate UPRmt and extend lifespan (which would make mrpl-2 anti_longevity — i.e., its normal function opposes longevity), but then incorrectly concludes the gene is pro_longevity. The GenAge classification of anti_longevity means that the gene's normal function works against longevity (i.e., reducing it extends life), which is exactly what the UPRmt/mitohormesis mechanism would predict. The model essentially described the correct mechanism but drew the opposite conclusion about the longevity influence classification. This is a case of right mechanistic description but wrong final answer due to misinterpretation of the pro/anti longevity framing.",
  "failure_mode": "confident_wrong",
  "answer_correct": false,
  "mechanism_correct": false,
  "reasoning_quality": 2,
  "ground_truth_questionable": false
}