Genetic Variation and Aging

Life span is subject to genetic modification in yeasts, nematodes, fruit flies, mice, humans, and other vertebrates and invertebrates. There are a few single-gene mutants known that extend life span in yeast and nematodes; in other experimental systems the character is treated quantitatively, and ge...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annual review of genetics 1995-01, Vol.29 (1), p.553-575
Main Authors: Curtsinger, J W, Fukui, H H, Khazaeli, A A, Kirscher, A, Pletcher, S D, Promislow, D E L, Tatar, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging
Aging - genetics
Animals
Biological Evolution
Demography
Evolution
Forecasting
Genes
Genetic aspects
Genetic diversity
Genetic Variation - genetics
Genetics
Humans
Longevity
Selection, Genetic
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Summary:Life span is subject to genetic modification in yeasts, nematodes, fruit flies, mice, humans, and other vertebrates and invertebrates. There are a few single-gene mutants known that extend life span in yeast and nematodes; in other experimental systems the character is treated quantitatively, and generally has a low to moderate heritability. Life span responds to artificial selection in Drosophila and Caenorhabditis. There are many candidate genes presently under investigation, including the anti-oxidizing enzymes and heat-shock proteins. The main evolutionary models of senescence are antagonistic pleiotropy and mutation accumulation, neither of which has substantial experimental support. The incorporation of analytical techniques from demography is playing an increasing role in research on aging.
ISSN:0066-4197
1545-2948
DOI:10.1146/annurev.ge.29.120195.003005