A group of German scientists may have finally cracked the code that slows human aging. Researchers at the University of Cologne in Germany have made a breakthrough in gene transcription that could be key to how aging works, according to a new study published in Nature.
This switch found can be shaped, allowing us to use certain processes to reverse changes caused by gene transcription. The key is the process used by RNA to copy pieces of DNA. As people age, this process accelerates and becomes less sensitive, making them more prone to errors, the researchers say.
One of the researchers of the new study, Dr. Andreas Beyer told Euronews that previous studies have all focused on why people age and which genes are turned on and off during the process. But Beyer says no one has studied how the transcription process changes as we age, and this could be useful in slowing human aging.
Beyer and his colleagues believe that gene transcription is a fundamental piece of the overall puzzle. In this process, RNA copies DNA directly, and if there is a problem with this copy, it means that there is a problem with the vital genetic information required for the formation of proteins in body cells. When an incorrect DNA slice gives bad information, the proteins containing the faulty information determine the overall health and function of the cells.
One of the key factors: Troubled transcription
One of the main factors slowing down human aging is this problematic transcription. Beyer and his team discovered that one way to prevent RNA from making poor transcriptions could be linked to living on a low-calorie diet.
Previous research has already shown how your diet and how your body signals for insulin can affect the aging of some animals, sometimes even slowing aging and prolonging animal lifespan. Beyer and his team conducted experiments on fruit flies, mice and worms, which they genetically modified to block insulin signaling.
The animals lived between 10 and 20 percent longer than their non-mutant counterparts, which were mice placed on a low-calorie diet. They also tested the research in human blood and found that it responded similarly, slowing the transcription process of RNA and making fewer mistakes.
It may be possible to modify this process in a way that slows down human aging and even helps prevent the emergence of diseases such as certain types of cancer that occur in advanced age due to errors in the transcription process.
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