Silence Genes and Live Longer


The secret of extending life by decades may lie in switching off particular genes, scientists believe, after finding that small genetic tweaks can make organisms live 60 per cent longer.

Ten years of research by the Buck Institute for Research on Ageing and the University of Washington has identified 238 genes that, when silenced, increase the lifespan of yeast cells.

Many of the genes are present in mammals, including humans, suggesting that switching them off could dramatically increase lifespan.

“This study looks at ageing in the context of the whole genome and gives us a more complete picture of what ageing is,” said Dr Brian Kennedy, the lead author of the study. “Almost half of the genes we found that affect ageing are conserved in mammals. In theory, any of these factors could be therapeutic targets to extend health span. What we have to do now is figure out which ones are amenable to targeting.”................Read more

 

Source: The New Indian Express


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