Aging Genes in Round Worms
Summary
Roundworms – C. elegans, not the kind that infest dogs or cats – was the first multi-celled creature to have all its genes, it’s genome, deciphered. It’s a laboratory favorite, because it has complete nervous, muscle, reproductive and feeding systems, much like higher creatures such as mankind.
The directions for a human being are written in code, 3 billion letters long. These instructions tell our bodies how to live, how to grow, how to die. Researcher Cynthia Kenyon has figured out how to double the lifespan of roundworms. She has discovered two genes that regulate the aging process. DAF 16 and DAF 2. Together, these two genes work to define the aging process of the worm. Remove DAF 2, and the worm will stay younger longer. These two genes also exist in human beings.
Keywords: roundworms, genes, genome, Cynthia Kenyon, DNA, the sequence, University of California in San Francisco, aging process, sweet 16, grim reaper, DAF 2, DAF 16
