According to one hypothesis, aging and its associated death has been programmed by evolution.
Researchers from the Institute of molecular biology in Germany has revealed the mechanism of the inevitable aging and death of the organism. It turned out that the main role is played by genes that are essential for maintaining normal cell functions, but at a later age contribute to their destruction and wear. Article scientists published in the journal Genes&Development.
According to one hypothesis, aging and its associated death has been programmed by evolution. However, the more the lifespan of the creature, the more it will leave offspring that takes over his genes. Organisms that can reproduce indefinitely, get an evolutionary advantage over all other types, so the aging should gradually disappear. To resolve this contradiction, proposed the concept of antagonistic pleiotropy (AP).
Pleiotropy called the effect of multiple actions of a gene when it carries out several functions. The concept of AP is that the same gene can increase fertility in a living being and aging. As a result, the DNA is rapidly spreading in the population, despite the costs in terms of the inevitability of death for each gene. This is the “shortsightedness” of evolution, when selected only those signs that give you an immediate advantage, rather than those that are more profitable in the long run. In the end, ageing and death are becoming an integral part of the genetic program.
Although this hypothesis was proven by using mathematical models, it was necessary to find specific genes with antagonistic pleiotropy that lead to aging. Experiments were conducted on an animal model, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Researchers have tested several candidate genes. It turned out that aging contributed to the DNA that is responsible for the autophagy — the process of destruction of cell of its damaged or unnecessary organelles.
Autophagy is essential for normal embryo development and also performs other important functions. However, in old worms, this mechanism starts to work properly. It is shown that inactivation of the corresponding genes in the neurons of C. elegans contributes to the prolongation of animal life by 50 percent and improves their physical health. Scientists believe that the discovery will help develop treatments for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s. At the same time, possible presence of other genes with AP, causing aging.
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