ADJUST THE AGING CELL

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Telomeres are the heads of the chromosomes, which protect DNA complexes from deterioration during cell division. The shortening of telomeres is considered an indicator of cellular aging, and the process is believed to be governed by the enzyme telomerase.

Victoria Lundblad Salk Institute (California, USA), and colleagues have discovered a mechanism of "switch on-and-off" cells that can allow the cells themselves generate new tissue, even in old age. Using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the researchers observed that immediately after that telomerase was assembled, disassembled quickly to form an active complex. The team speculates that this disassembly process may provide a means to hold the telomerase to exceptionally low levels within the cell. Although eroding telomeres in normal cells may contribute to the aging process, the cancer cells, in contrast, rely on high levels telomerase to ensure unregulated cell growth. The switch "off" found here can help keep telomerase activity below this threshold.

The study authors say: "The balance between the paths of assembly and disassembly, which dictate the levels of active holoenzyme in the cell, reveals a new mechanism by which telomerase (and telomere) is regulated."

Source: Worldhealth

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