The gene PNC1 is upregulated in yeast under caloric restriction and is involved in NAD+ synthesis, mimicking caloric restriction's effects.

“We found that low energy activates a certain gene. It has a name, it's called PNC-1. We have an equivalent gene in our bodies called NAMPT and turning on that PNC-1 gene in yeast was able to activate the sirtuins because that gene makes a fuel for the sirtuins called NAD.”

“In our body it's called NAMPT. And it gets activated by these mild stressors. In a yeast cell it's low salt, it's low sugar, heat. And that turns on the synthesis of NAD and we found that extended lifespan.”

“what we found was that when we calorically restricted yeast cells this was one of the most highly up regulated genes in the whole yeast style which was very unusual people had discovered this before in their own lab but they were wondering what the heck is this nad synthesis pathway got to do with calorie restriction got to do with stress but we knew exactly what was happening this is a stress response that was turning on nad production and activating sore tunes”