- Human lifespans have increased throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, but those increases are slowing down, so scientists continue to hunt for ways to improve longevity.
- Healthful diets, hygiene, and medical care have all contributed to the increases in lifespan, and now researchers are looking to genetics.
- In a new proof-of-concept study, researchers almost doubled the lifespan of yeast cells by genetically rewiring the circuit that controls aging.
- Their findings may pave the way to increasing longevity in more complex organisms and, possibly, even in people.
We all strive to live long and healthy lives, but can you lengthen your life? The National Institutes of Health (NIH) tell us that the best way to increase lifespan is to eat well, get quality sleep, exercise regularly, get regular medical checkups, and avoid bad habits such as smoking and drinking excessive alcohol.
Scientists working to combat the aging process have extended the lifespans of worms, mice, and even monkeys. But could they do the same for people?
Now, a team from the University of California, San Diego, has managed to extend the lifespan of a simple organism by around 80% by manipulating the genetic circuit that controls aging.
The proof-of-concept study carried out in yeast is published in Science.
The UC San Diego research team has been studying cell aging for several years, discovering that cells follow a cascade of molecular changes throughout their life until they eventually degenerate and die. However, they found that not all cells age in the same way, and this was the focus of their new research.
They first used computer simulations of cell aging to test their ideas before moving on to modifying the aging circuits in the single-celled yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
They discovered that the cells followed one of two aging routes. Around half of the cells underwent a gradual decline in the stability of their DNA (nucleolar aging); for the rest, the aging path was characterized by a decline in…
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