Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Deacetylation Assays to Unravel the Interplay between Sirtuins (SIRT2) and Specific Protein-substrates
14:32

Deacetylation Assays to Unravel the Interplay between Sirtuins (SIRT2) and Specific Protein-substrates

Published on: February 27, 2016

Mammalian sirtuins: biological insights and disease relevance

Marcia C Haigis1, David A Sinclair

  • 1Glenn Laboratories for the Molecular Biology of Aging, Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. Marcia_Haigis@hms.harvard.edu

Annual Review of Pathology
|January 19, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Aging impairs organ function and increases disease risk. Sirtuin enzymes, like SIRT1, show promise in enhancing lifespan and healthspan across organisms, offering new therapeutic avenues.

Area of Science:

  • Gerontology and molecular biology, focusing on aging and cellular regulation.

Background:

  • Aging leads to organ system decline and increased disease risk (e.g., diabetes, cancer).
  • Previous research focused on single pathways, limiting disease understanding.
  • Yeast studies revealed sirtuins, enzymes impacting lifespan and health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review advances in sirtuin research over the past decade.
  • To discuss the enzymology, regulation, and physiological effects of sirtuins.
  • To identify future challenges in the field of sirtuin research.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies on sirtuins and aging.
  • Analysis of research on SIRT1 enzymology and regulation.
  • Synthesis of findings on sirtuin-mediated improvements in mammalian health span.

Main Results:

  • Sirtuins, particularly SIRT1, have been extensively studied.
  • Significant progress has been made in understanding sirtuin function and regulation.
  • Sirtuins demonstrate broad benefits for mammalian physiology and health span.

Conclusions:

  • Sirtuin research has advanced significantly in the last decade.
  • Sirtuins represent a promising target for interventions to improve aging and health.
  • Further research is needed to address remaining challenges in the field.

Related Concept Videos

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway01:22

PI3K/mTOR/AKT Signaling Pathway

The mammalian target of rapamycin  (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that regulates growth, proliferation, and cell survival in response to hormones, growth factors, or nutrient availability. This kinase exists in two structurally and functionally distinct forms: mTOR complex 1  (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2  (mTORC2). The first form (mTORC1) is composed of a rapamycin-sensitive Raptor and proline-rich Akt substrate, PRAS40. In contrast,  mTORC2 consists of a rapamycin-insensitive companion...
Regulated Protein Degradation02:58

Regulated Protein Degradation

It is vital to regulate the activity of enzymatic as well as non-enzymatic proteins inside the cell. This can be achieved either through creating a balance between their rate of synthesis and degradation or regulating the intrinsic activity of the protein. Both these regulation mechanisms play an essential role in the normal functioning of cells.
Protein degradation plays two important roles in the cells. It helps to protect cells from misfolded or damaged proteins before they lead to a...
Covalently Linked Protein Regulators02:04

Covalently Linked Protein Regulators

Proteins can undergo many types of post-translational modifications, often in response to changes in their environment. These modifications play an important role in the function and stability of these proteins. Covalently linked molecules include functional groups, such as methyl, acetyl, and phosphate groups, and also small proteins, such as ubiquitin. There are around 200 different types of covalent regulators that have been identified.
These groups modify specific amino acids in a protein.
Mitochondria01:37

Mitochondria

Mitochondria are eukaryotic cellular organelles that are known to produce energy through a process called oxidative phosphorylation. Besides their primary function, mitochondria are involved in various cellular processes, including cell growth, differentiation, signaling, metabolism, and senescence. Age-related changes cause a decline in mitochondrial quality and integrity due to increased mitochondrial mutations and oxidative damage. Thus, aging can severely impact mitochondrial functions,...
The Proteasome02:18

The Proteasome

Eukaryotic cells can degrade proteins through several pathways. One of the most important amongst these is the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. It helps the cell eliminate the misfolded, damaged, or unwarranted cytoplasmic proteins in a highly specific manner.
In this pathway, the target proteins are first tagged with small proteins called ubiquitin. A series of enzymes carry out the ubiquitination of the target proteins - E1 (ubiquitin-activating enzyme), E2 (ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme), and E3...