Running on empty: Does mitochondrial DNA mutation limit replicative lifespan in yeast? : Mutations that increase the division rate of cells lacking mitochondrial DNA also extend replicative lifespan in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
✍ Scribed by Cory D. Dunn
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2011
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 139 KB
- Volume
- 33
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0265-9247
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations escalate with increasing age in higher organisms. However, it has so far been difficult to experimentally determine whether mtDNA mutation merely correlates with age or directly limits lifespan. A recent study shows that budding yeast can also lose functional mtDNA late in life. Interestingly, independent studies of replicative lifespan (RLS) and of mtDNA‐deficient cells show that the same mutations can increase both RLS and the division rate of yeast lacking the mitochondrial genome. These exciting, parallel findings imply a potential causal relationship between mtDNA mutation and replicative senescence. Furthermore, these results suggest more efficient methods for discovering genes that determine lifespan.