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Category: genetics – Page 39

Inside the scientific quest to reverse human aging

Superlongevity via epigenetic reprogramming. 🏆

Life Biosciences:

“If the FDA approves its application, the company will repeat the methods from the mouse and monkey experiments, Rosenzweig-Lipson said. Scientists will inject volunteers’ eyes with Yamanaka factors that can be turned off or on with the antibiotic doxycycline, Rosenzweig-Lipson said. The hope is that the cells in people’s damaged optic nerves will grow more youthful at an epigenetic level, and their vision will improve.”

Can reprogramming our genes make us young again? A breakthrough in longevity research may be nearing its first human trials.

The secret of how Greenland sharks can live for centuries without getting cancer

The eye protein rhodopsin of the Greenland shark was found to have amino acid variations that made them more adept at processing blue-light wavelengths – a feature that is advantageous when living in the dim deep ocean waters.

“These genomic analyses offer new insights into the molecular basis of the exceptional longevity of the Greenland shark and highlight potential genetic mechanisms that could inform future research into longevity,” scientists wrote in the study.

‘Jumping gene’ caught in the act: Advanced imaging provides new insights into retrotransposons

An arms race is unfolding in our cells: Transposons, also known as jumping genes or mobile genetic elements as they can replicate and reinsert themselves in the genome, threaten the cell’s genome integrity by triggering DNA rearrangements and causing mutations. Host cells, in turn, protect their genome using intricate defense mechanisms that stop transposons from jumping.

Now, for the first time, a retrotransposon has been caught in action inside a cell: Refining cryo-Electron Tomography (cryo-ET) techniques, scientists imaged the retrotransposon copia in the egg chambers of the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster at sub-nanometer resolution. The paper is published in the journal Cell.

Among the international team of scientists achieving this detailed visualization are three scientists with Vienna BioCenter ties: Sven Klumpe, currently in the laboratory of JĂŒrgen Plitzko at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, will join IMBA and IMP to build a group as a Joint Fellow; Julius Brennecke, a Senior Group Leader at IMBA, the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences; and Kirsten Senti, staff scientist in the Brennecke group. Also involved in this collaboration is the group of Martin Beck at the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics in Frankfurt.

The Most Important Living Scientist — Dr. Michael Levin

Dr. Michael Levin’s groundbreaking research redefines intelligence, agency, and selfhood, showing that it exists not just in brains but across all levels of biological systems—cells, organs, and entire organisms. Through his concept of the “morphogenetic code,” Levin reveals that bioelectric signals, not just DNA, guide cellular organization and behavior, enabling profound regenerative breakthroughs like limb regrowth and functional organ creation. His work extends into philosophy, reshaping how we view alien life, selfhood, and even the nature of existence by framing life as an emergent property of interconnected intelligences. Levin envisions tools like an “anatomical compiler” to revolutionize medicine and challenges us to rethink life, intelligence, and the cosmos, solidifying his place as one of the most important living scientists.

Deep Thinkers, Check This: https://www.skool.com/yoda/about.

Biological Age, Age At Menopause, And Longevity (4 Studies)

Join us on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/MichaelLustgartenPhD

Discount Links/Affiliates:
Blood testing (where I get the majority of my labs): https://www.ultalabtests.com/partners/michaellustgarten.

At-Home Metabolomics: https://www.iollo.com?ref=michael-lustgarten.
Use Code: CONQUERAGING At Checkout.

Clearly Filtered Water Filter: https://get.aspr.app/SHoPY

Epigenetic, Telomere Testing: https://trudiagnostic.com/?irclickid=U-s3Ii2r7xyIU-LSYLyQdQ6
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Use Code: CONQUERAGING

NAD+ Quantification: https://www.jinfiniti.com/intracellular-nad-test/

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Scientists Just Discovered an RNA That Repairs DNA Damage — And It’s a Game-Changer

Genome Instability and Disease Risk

Every time a cell divides, its DNA is at risk of damage. To complete division, the cell must copy its entire genetic code — billions of letters long — which can lead to occasional errors. But cell division isn’t the only threat. Over time, exposure to factors like sunlight, alcohol, and cigarette smoke can also harm DNA, increasing the risk of cancer and other diseases.

Fortunately, cells have built-in repair systems to counteract this damage. This process, known as the DNA damage response (DDR), activates specific signaling pathways that detect and fix errors. These mechanisms help maintain genetic stability and ensure the cell’s survival.

Woolly mouse could have Colossal impact on human longevity

“Our woolly mouse project drove innovations in areas combining the end to end process from our computational biology analysis tools to our multiplex precision genome engineering technologies,” Lamm told us. “These technologies enable precise and efficient genetic modifications at multiple sites within the genome at the same time, which could help with research focused on addressing the complex multi-genetic age-related diseases in the future.”

By further refining the genetic engineering techniques developed by Colossal, researchers may eventually develop therapies tailored to an individual’s genetic makeup, mitigating the effects of aging at a cellular level.

“Many diseases are multigenic in nature and require deep analysis computationally and being able to edit the genome at multiple sites with high degrees of efficiency to not cause off-target effects,” Lamm told us. “Our end to end process and the further development of our multiplex editing and DNA synthesis capabilities will lead to others being able to use our tools and system to treat these more complicated diseases. Together, these innovations are part of the science focused on developing personalized, targeted therapies to mitigate the effects of aging, accelerate the development of regenerative medicine, and extend both lifespan and healthspan.”

AAV Gene Therapy for Maple Syrup Urine Disease Shows Promise

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a rare genetic inborn error of metabolism characterized by recurrent life-threatening neurologic crises and progressive brain injury. The disease is typically caused by biallelic mutations in genes (branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase E1α (BCKDHA), E1ÎČ (BCKDHB), or dihydrolipoamide branched-chain transacylase (DBT)) subunits which interact to form the mitochondrial BCKDH complex that decarboxylates ketoacid derivatives of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. MSUD can be treated by a strictly controlled diet or allogeneic liver transplantation.

Now, new work demonstrates that a gene therapy prevented newborn death, normalized growth, restored coordinated expression of the affected genes, and stabilized biomarkers in a calf as well as in mice.

This work is published in Science Translational Medicine in the paper, “BCKDHA-BCKDHB digenic gene therapy restores metabolic homeostasis in two mouse models and a calf with classic maple syrup urine disease.”

Scientists aiming to bring back woolly mammoth create woolly mice

A plan to revive the mammoth is on track, scientists have said after creating a new species: the woolly mouse.

Scientists at the US biotechnology company Colossal Biosciences plan to “de-extinct” the prehistoric pachyderms by genetically modifying Asian elephants to give them woolly mammoth traits. They hope the first calf will be born by the end of 2028.