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A Suppressor Screen for the Characterization of Genetic Links Regulating Chronological Lifespan in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

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We age because we grow.

Hillard S Kaplan¹, Arthur J Robson

¹Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA. hkaplan@unm.edu

Proceedings. Biological Sciences

|March 28, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Aging is a near-universal biological phenomenon. This study proposes an evolutionary life history theory explaining why organisms improve then decline, accounting for human demographics like menopause.

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Gerontology
Life history theory

Background:

Aging is a widespread characteristic of complex organisms.
Physiological evidence suggests aging results from reversible deterioration.
Natural selection favors organisms that improve then decline with age.

Purpose of the Study:

To present a robust evolutionary theory for the ubiquity of aging.
To explain the pattern of decreasing then increasing mortality rates with age.
To account for human demographic characteristics, including post-reproductive lifespan.

Main Methods:

Developed a life history model incorporating somatic capital quantity and quality.
Applied the model to species with determinate growth.
Included a budget constraint for intergenerational transfers to model human aging.

Main Results:

Demonstrated that an optimal life history involves prioritizing somatic quantity over quality.
The model predicts an evolutionarily optimal life history with early-life mortality decrease followed by late-life increase.
The theory successfully explains key human demographic traits, such as menopause and extended post-reproductive survival.

Conclusions:

The proposed life history theory provides a unified evolutionary explanation for aging.
The model's success in explaining human demographics highlights the interplay between somatic maintenance, reproduction, and intergenerational transfers.
This framework offers insights into the fundamental biological drivers of aging and lifespan across species.