Genes for Controlling Aging Identified

Fast-aging mice have been created at the University of Wisconsin by geriatrics-science researchers. Basically, what they did was just change two letters of the mouse DNA. This resulted in a modification of the energy producing factories of cells, the mitochondria. The gene, the researchers say functions as the quality control checker to assure that copies of the mitochondrial DNA do not result in mutations.

Thus, when the two letters were changed, the mitochondrial DNA accumulated mutations that resulted in faster aging of cells, or more specifically, the self-demise or suicide of cells. The researchers are careful to say that normal aging is not the result of faulty spell checking of DNA. They believe there is a set of genes that can actually prolong life by inhibiting mitochondrial mutations. If they can find it, it may result in new ways to prolong the lifespan of organisms.

The Wisonsin researchers are now trying to stop or reverse the rapid aging of the mice.