This phenomenon has been observed in different species, from worms to humans, in a variety of human cells and tissues, and even in people with neurodegenerative diseases. Interestingly, experiments on mice have shown that known anti-aging factors such as dietary restriction may help mitigate this decline.
Researchers believe that long genes are more prone to accumulate DNA damage over time; just like a long journey increases your chances of getting into trouble. This damage impairs the ability of genes to function properly and leads to cellular and organ-level changes associated with aging.
Previous aging research has focused on identifying specific “aging genes,” but the new theory suggests that susceptibility is related to the length of the gene rather than its function. It’s actually a matter of luck: Longer genes offer more targets for DNA damage.
This theory potentially paves the way for future research and therapeutic strategies that target long gene expression to combat the aging process.
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Source: Ferra
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