Why are they aging so slowly?
Researchers at the University of Liverpool, working under the guidance of Dr. Joao Pedro Magalhaes (traditionally his surname is transcribed into Russian as "Magellan"), have developed a new method for identifying proteins associated with the aging process, which will improve our understanding of the differences in life expectancy of different animal species.
To identify proteins whose evolution is associated with an increase in life expectancy, scientists analyzed the genomes of more than 30 species of mammals. They revealed a pronounced relationship between
the evolution
of mammalian lifespan and the mutation of COL3A1 protein associated with the aging process, as well as DDB1 and CAPNS1 proteins that perform important functions in cell responses to DNA damage. Similar dependencies were also found for proteins associated with fat metabolism and cholesterol catabolism (cleavage), as well as with the mechanisms of protein recycling.
Based on the data obtained, it can be assumed that the evolutionary selection of certain proteins in long-lived species, such as elephants and humans, optimized the mechanisms of repair of molecular damage, compared with animals with a short lifespan, such as mice.
Scientists believe that the developed method of detecting proteins associated with slow aging will help in the future in the development of methods to slow down the process of natural aging and prevent age-related diseases.
The article by Yang Li and Joao Pedro de Magalhaes Accelerated protein evolution analysis reveals genes and pathways associated with the evolution of mammalian longevity is published in the journal of the American Aging Association AGE.
Evgeniya Ryabtseva
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on the materials of the University of Liverpool: Study suggests why some animals live longer.
A reproduction of the painting "Outsourced" (Scott Goodwillie, 2006) was used
04.04.2012