Modeling Methuselah
نویسنده
چکیده
The quest for immortality has long fascinated mankind. According to Greek mythology, ambrosia was the elixir of gods, bestowing them with immortality. Alchemists sought the mystical philosopher’s stone, and Oscar Wilde’s Dorian Gray bequeathed his soul to stop himself from growing old. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Benjamin Button was all too familiar with the term ‘‘reverse aging.’’ While biblical sources refer to Methuselah, the man who lived close to a thousand years, in actuality, the current record for longest human lifespan is 122 years. With global advances in medicine and nutrition, humans today are indeed living longer than ever before. Over the last three decades, studies from model organisms and centenarians have identified conserved signaling pathways controlling longevity and healthspan. We have also made some progress in understanding the genetics behind the beneficial effects of calorie restriction. Seemingly ageless organisms such as hydra and planaria continue to pique our interest into the prospects of regenerative medicine in humans. In this issue’s Select, we present some of the latest insights into the biology of aging.
منابع مشابه
Methuselah/Methuselah-like G protein-coupled receptors constitute an ancient metazoan gene family
Inconsistent conclusions have been drawn regarding the phylogenetic age of the Methuselah/Methuselah-like (Mth/Mthl) gene family of G protein-coupled receptors, the founding member of which regulates development and lifespan in Drosophila. Here we report the results from a targeted homolog search of 39 holozoan genomes and phylogenetic analysis of the conserved seven transmembrane domain. Our f...
متن کاملExtended life-span and stress resistance in the Drosophila mutant methuselah.
Toward a genetic dissection of the processes involved in aging, a screen for gene mutations that extend life-span in Drosophila melanogaster was performed. The mutant line methuselah (mth) displayed approximately 35 percent increase in average life-span and enhanced resistance to various forms of stress, including starvation, high temperature, and dietary paraquat, a free-radical generator. The...
متن کاملCrystal structure of the ectodomain of Methuselah, a Drosophila G protein-coupled receptor associated with extended lifespan.
The Drosophila mutant methuselah (mth) was identified from a screen for single gene mutations that extended average lifespan. Mth mutants have a 35% increase in average lifespan and increased resistance to several forms of stress, including heat, starvation, and oxidative damage. The protein affected by this mutation is related to G protein-coupled receptors of the secretin receptor family. Mth...
متن کاملIdentification, Characterization and Expression of Methuselah-Like Genes in Dastarcus helophoroides (Coleoptera: Bothrideridae)
Dastarcus helophoroides, which has a relatively longer lifespan compared to other insects, is one of the most effective natural enemies of many large-body long-horned beetles. Methuselah (Mth) is associated with the lifespan, stress resistance, and reproduction in Drosophila melanogaster, but Mth is not present in non-drosophiline insects. A number of methuselah-like genes (mth-likes, mthls) ha...
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ورودعنوان ژورنال:
- Cell
دوره 154 شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 2013