tax-6
C. elegans
Serine/threonine-protein phosphatase 2B catalytic subunit
What the model saw
Gene: tax-6 Organism: Caenorhabditis elegans Known functions: Serine/threonine-protein phosphatase 2B catalytic subunit. calcium ion binding. calmodulin binding. calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase activity. hydrolase activity. phosphoprotein phosphatase activity. protein binding. protein serine/threonine phosphatase activity.
View unredacted entry
Serine/threonine-protein phosphatase 2B catalytic subunit. calcium ion binding. calmodulin binding. calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase activity. hydrolase activity. phosphoprotein phosphatase activity. protein binding. protein serine/threonine phosphatase activity.
Solver output
tax-6 encodes the C. elegans ortholog of calcineurin (PP2B), a calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine/threonine phosphatase. In C. elegans, calcineurin (tax-6) has been shown to act downstream of calcium signaling to dephosphorylate and regulate transcription factors including NFAT-like factors and components of the DAF-16/FOXO pathway. Loss-of-function of tax-6 extends lifespan in C. elegans, suggesting that calcineurin activity normally suppresses longevity. The pro-longevity effect of tax-6 loss is linked to its role in modulating DAF-16/FOXO nuclear localization and activity — calcineurin dephosphorylates substrates that antagonize DAF-16, so when tax-6 is active it dampens the insulin/IGF-1-like signaling (IIS) longevity pathway. Additionally, tax-6 integrates calcium-dependent signals that influence stress response and metabolic regulation, placing it within the deregulated nutrient-sensing hallmark. Thus, the normal function of tax-6 is anti-longevity (its activity shortens lifespan), but the gene itself, when functioning normally, opposes longevity.
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
The model correctly identifies the mechanism: tax-6/calcineurin loss-of-function extends lifespan, meaning the gene's normal activity is anti-longevity. The mechanistic reasoning is accurate. However, the model then contradicts itself in its final classification. It states "the normal function of tax-6 is anti-longevity (its activity shortens lifespan)" but then classifies the gene as "pro_longevity" — the opposite of what the ground truth says (anti_longevity). The model seems confused about the directionality convention: it correctly understands the biology but mislabels the longevity influence. The final answer is wrong despite the reasoning being largely correct, making this a case of right reasoning but wrong answer output.
Raw API responses
solver
{
"reasoning": "tax-6 encodes the C. elegans ortholog of calcineurin (PP2B), a calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine/threonine phosphatase. In C. elegans, calcineurin (tax-6) has been shown to act downstream of calcium signaling to dephosphorylate and regulate transcription factors including NFAT-like factors and components of the DAF-16/FOXO pathway. Loss-of-function of tax-6 extends lifespan in C. elegans, suggesting that calcineurin activity normally suppresses longevity. The pro-longevity effect of tax-6 loss is linked to its role in modulating DAF-16/FOXO nuclear localization and activity — calcineurin dephosphorylates substrates that antagonize DAF-16, so when tax-6 is active it dampens the insulin/IGF-1-like signaling (IIS) longevity pathway. Additionally, tax-6 integrates calcium-dependent signals that influence stress response and metabolic regulation, placing it within the deregulated nutrient-sensing hallmark. Thus, the normal function of tax-6 is anti-longevity (its activity shortens lifespan), but the gene itself, when functioning normally, opposes longevity.",
"confidence": 0.72,
"key_pathways": [
"DAF-16/FOXO insulin/IGF-1 signaling",
"calcium/calmodulin-dependent calcineurin signaling",
"stress response and proteostasis regulation"
],
"mechanism_class": "deregulated_nutrient_sensing",
"longevity_influence": "pro_longevity"
}advisor
{
"notes": "The model correctly identifies the mechanism: tax-6/calcineurin loss-of-function extends lifespan, meaning the gene's normal activity is anti-longevity. The mechanistic reasoning is accurate. However, the model then contradicts itself in its final classification. It states \"the normal function of tax-6 is anti-longevity (its activity shortens lifespan)\" but then classifies the gene as \"pro_longevity\" — the opposite of what the ground truth says (anti_longevity). The model seems confused about the directionality convention: it correctly understands the biology but mislabels the longevity influence. The final answer is wrong despite the reasoning being largely correct, making this a case of right reasoning but wrong answer output.",
"failure_mode": "right_answer_wrong_reasoning",
"answer_correct": false,
"mechanism_correct": true,
"reasoning_quality": 3,
"ground_truth_questionable": false
}