In the enzyme responsible for the reliable transcription of cells, this is the copying of information from DNA“hiding”, according to researchers from German institutes, secret of aging. A team of researchers, including five Greek womenfound that in old cells, the RNA polymerase responsible for cell transcription moves through the DNA faster than in young cells, leading to more errors in the process. It is hoped that simple interventions can return the transcription rate to normal limits. Among them diet namely the number of daily calories consumed, which can affect the transcription process and renew the function of aging cells.

“There is a basic mechanism for how our cells function, the dysregulation of which explains much of aging. The way this mechanism is deregulated came as a surprise.” Argyris Papantonis explains “K”.professor of epigenetics at the Medical School of the University of Göttingen who, together with researchers from the University of Cologne and the Max Planck Institute, coordinated a project whose findings were recently published in the prestigious Journal of Nature. The expanded group of scientists (26 researchers in total) included five Greeks. “We all have bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Greek universities. And this means something, ”the professor emphasizes.

One of the fundamental functions of cells is transcription, i.e. copying information from our DNA, from which new proteins are made. The enzyme is responsible for the reliable transcription of information. RNA polymerase. “A key feature of senescent cells is that they perform many of their functions with much less reliability. DNA transcription is no exception, so aging cells make more “mistakes,” notes the 45-year-old scientist. He continues: “However, we were interested in finding out the reason for this ever-decreasing reliability of the polymerase.” Through their experiments, collaborating research teams found that RNA polymerase moves through DNA faster in old than in young cells when it is transcribed. And the faster the polymerases move, the more … “mistakes” they make. “We hypothesized that changing the transcription rate would make the polymerase more error-prone. This case has received enough confirmation.

The way in which the basic mechanism of cellular function is deregulated surprised 26 researchers, including five Greeks.

Experiments

Researchers have worked with human cells and with four different laboratory animals, from rats and mice to worms and midges. As Mr. Papantonis points out, “we compared different types of young and old tissues and cells in all our models and found that an increase in transcription rate is a common denominator with aging.”

Scientists have found that with the help of various methods, it is possible to intervene and restore the transcription rate to within normal limits. “We tried three interventions,” adds Mr. Papantonis. “Genetic mutations that cause RNA polymerase to transcribe more slowly, molecular tools that somehow build barriers along DNA and slow down transcription or control nutrition, have the same effect and can be applied to the human body.” The scientists found that the transcription rate returned to normal levels when they limited the amount of calories the experimental animals received. “Thus, we have strong evidence that diet, and in particular the amount of daily calories consumed, can influence the transcription process and improve the function of senescent cells,” notes the professor. All three interventions increased the lifespan of experimental animals or slowed down the appearance of signs of aging in human cells. “Our goal is not to further increase the lifespan of people, but to increase the quality of life and the good functioning of their tissues, despite their age, and therefore the occurrence of fewer diseases,” the professor clarifies, taking the next step for his research team to be “ find out whether other basic cellular processes lose their reliability and accuracy with age and whether this is associated with the emergence of diseases of old age, with a special focus on cancer.”