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posted by mrpg on Monday April 22 2019, @03:00PM   Printer-friendly
from the all-the-days-of-Methuselah-were-nine-hundred-sixty-nine-years dept.

In a new paper published in the journal Cell, Scientists identify a protein that improves DNA repair functions and show that variations resulting in improved repair capability in longer lived species is associated with their increased longevity.

The gene sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) organizes proteins and enzymes that repair broken DNA. Mice without the gene age prematurely while mice with extra copies live longer. Researchers hypothesized that SIRT6 activity co-evolved and was more efficient in longer lived species. To confirm this

using a panel of 18 rodent species with diverse lifespans, we show that more robust DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair, but not nucleotide excision repair (NER), coevolves with longevity.

Additionally, introducing stronger variants of the gene protein (from longer lived animals) into shorter lived organisms (such as fruit flies) reduced stress-induced DNA damage and increased lifespans.

Humans are already a long lived species with optimized SIRT6, however according to the researchers

"we have other species that are even longer lived than humans," [Andrei Seluanov, professor of biology at the University of Rochester] says. Next steps in the research involve analyzing whether species that have longer lifespans than humans—like the bowhead whale, which can live more than 200 years—have evolved even more robust SIRT6 genes.

The ultimate goal is to develop interventions that delay cancer and other degenerative diseases.


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  • (Score: 3, Touché) by ikanreed on Monday April 22 2019, @04:05PM (1 child)

    by ikanreed (3164) Subscriber Badge on Monday April 22 2019, @04:05PM (#833427) Journal

    How evolution has optimized for miserable short lives that fuck slightly more often

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 23 2019, @04:02AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 23 2019, @04:02AM (#833705)

      puhleeaze, I tihnk that's just you...

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 22 2019, @05:16PM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 22 2019, @05:16PM (#833460)

    As the key to aging , not just adding a year or two but hundreds
    https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/basics/telomeres/ [utah.edu]

    • (Score: 3, Interesting) by takyon on Monday April 22 2019, @05:36PM

      by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Monday April 22 2019, @05:36PM (#833462) Journal

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategies_for_Engineered_Negligible_Senescence [wikipedia.org]

      SENS approach looks best.

      You probably won't add hundreds of years to lifespans with one drug, or even five drugs. You need nanobots or something to repair and clean cells.

      If nanobots can't be made, maybe you can get by with telomere lengthening, one or two other therapies, and proactive replacement of organs with fresh ones grown from your own DNA.

      --
      [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
    • (Score: 2) by sjames on Monday April 22 2019, @06:37PM

      by sjames (2882) on Monday April 22 2019, @06:37PM (#833482) Journal

      Just extending the telomeres won't do it, it'll just doom you to cancer without a more robust DNA repair.

    • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 22 2019, @10:39PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 22 2019, @10:39PM (#833568)

      You can make telomeres as long as you want, but if a Moslem jihadi bombs you then you're dead. The key to aging is to find a cure for Moslems.

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