X-Message-Number: 24159
From: "Simon Carter" <>
Subject: Mitochondrial theory of ageing on test
Date: Fri, 28 May 2004 13:43:17 +1000

In the latest issue of 'Nature' (27 May 2004):

Old before its time: Mitochondrial theory of ageing on test

The mitochondrial theory of ageing proposes that accumulation of mutations
in mitochondrial DNA leads to progressive bioenergy deficiency, cellular
damage, degeneration and eventually death. To test the theory, mice were
genetically engineered to have mtDNA polymerase with poor proof-reading
activity, and hence an enhanced mutation rate. These mtDNA-mutator mice
(like the one in the foreground on the cover) develop signs of premature
ageing and die aged about a year instead of 2-3 years. This suggests a
causal link between mtDNA mutations and ageing phenotypes, and with these
mice as the model, it should be possible to design strategies to antagonize
or delay the effects of mtDNA mutations. That might not amount to an elixir
of life, but will tell us a lot about some of the processes involved in
ageing.

Premature ageing in mice expressing defective mitochondrial DNA polymerase
ALEKSANDRA TRIFUNOVIC, ANNA WREDENBERG, MARIA FALKENBERG, JOHANNES N.
SPELBRINK, ANJA T. ROVIO, CARL E. BRUDER, MOHAMMAD BOHLOOLY-Y, SEBASTIAN
GIDL F, ANDERS OLDFORS, ROLF WIBOM, JAN T RNELL, HOWARD T. JACOBS &
NILS-G RAN LARSSON
Nature 429, 417-423 (2004); doi:10.1038/nature02517

Ageing: Mice and mitochondria
GEORGE M. MARTIN & LAWRENCE A. LOEB
It can be hard to work out whether particular events are a cause or a
correlate of ageing - do mutations in mitochondrial DNA, for instance, speed
up the process of growing old? Some clever studies suggest so.
Nature 429, 357-359 (2004); doi:10.1038/429357a

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