Redeeming Sirtuins, The Anti-Age Proteins?
Saturday, February 25, 2012 - 08:32
in Biology & Nature
A group of proteins, known as sirtuins (we, mammals, have seven of these), has been thought to play a role in the aging process. However, recently, the effects of one of these proteins on aging has been challenged, leading to questions concerning the role of the whole protein group (see this Nature News article for some background). Now, however, a new study, also in Nature, has shown that one of the sirtuins (SIRT6) does have an effect on the lifespan of mammals (in this case, mice). In the design of their experiments, the authors were well aware of the controversy surrounding the proteins. From the article: read more