Authors: Unal E; Kinde B; Amon A
Abstract: Eukaryotic organisms age, yet detrimental age-associated traits are not passed on to progeny. How life span is reset from one generation to the next is not known. We show that in budding yeast resetting of life span occurs during gametogenesis. Gametes (spores) generated by aged cells show the same replicative potential as gametes generated by young cells. Age-associated damage is no longer detectable in mature gametes. Furthermore, transient induction of a transcription factor essential for later stages of gametogenesis extends the replicative life span of aged cells. Our results indicate that gamete formation brings about rejuvenation by eliminating age-induced cellular damage.
Keywords: Aging; Cell Division; Cell Nucleolus/physiology/ultrastructure; DNA, Circular/genetics/metabolism; DNA, Fungal/genetics/metabolism; DNA, Ribosomal/genetics/metabolism; DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics/*metabolism; Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism; Meiosis; Nuclear Proteins/genetics/metabolism; Recombinant Fusion Proteins/metabolism; Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics/growth & development/*physiology/ultrastructure; Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/genetics/*metabolism; Spores, Fungal/*physiology; Transcription Factors/genetics/*metabolism|
Journal: Science (New York, N.Y.) Volume: 332 Issue: 6037 Pages: 1554-7 Date: June 28, 2011 PMID: 21700873 |
Unal E, Kinde B, Amon A (2011) Gametogenesis eliminates age-induced cellular damage and resets life span in yeast. Science (New York, N.Y.) 332: 1554-7.
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