A team of researchers from the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Padua and the Principal Investigator of the Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine (VIMM) has identified and characterized a new gene that controls cellular aging and longevity. The identification of this new gene is the result of nine years of work involving several internationally renowned researchers from prestigious national and international research institutions, and was published in the prestigious medical translational research journal "Journal of Clinical Investigation". It all began with a computer search to identify potential genes in the human genome, as yet unknown, that might have relevance to mechanisms controlling protein and organelle quality. Among several candidates, the team focused on a gene that stood out for being extremely conserved among different animal species, from humans to worms, called Mytho. Through genetic manipulation experiments, the group showed that its inhibition causes early cellular senescence (a stage at which cells stop replicating) and a shortening of life span in Caenorhabditis Elegans (an animal model that is used by researchers to study aging), while its activation improves quality of life and allows for healthy aging.
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