Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 5, 2026
08:46
Studying Age-dependent Genomic Instability using the S. cerevisiae Chronological Lifespan Model
Published on: September 29, 2011
16.0K
Toward understanding genomic instability, mitochondrial dysfunction and aging
Nima B Fakouri1, Yujun Hou1, Tyler G Demarest1
1Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
The FEBS Journal
|September 22, 2018
Summary
Genomic instability and mitochondrial dysfunction drive aging by depleting cellular energy. Understanding these links, especially poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Cellular Aging
- Gerontology
Background:
- Cellular and organismal functions decline with age.
- Genomic instability and mitochondrial dysfunction are key drivers of mammalian cellular aging.
- Oxidative stress and DNA damage response pathways are crucial in aging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the interrelationship between genomic instability and mitochondrial dysfunction in mammalian cells.
- To explore the relevance of this interrelationship to age-related functional decline at molecular and cellular levels.
- To highlight the role of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) in cellular energy depletion and mitochondrial dysfunction.
Main Methods:
- Literature review focusing on molecular and cellular mechanisms of aging.
- Analysis of the role of oxidative stress and DNA damage response pathways.
- Discussion of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) activity and its consequences.
Main Results:
- Persistent activation of PARP1 depletes cellular energy reserves.
- This depletion leads to mitochondrial dysfunction, loss of energy homeostasis, and altered cellular metabolism.
- Genomic instability and mitochondrial dysfunction are interconnected, contributing to age-related decline.
Conclusions:
- Elucidating the relationship between genomic instability, mitochondrial dysfunction, and connecting signaling pathways is crucial for aging research.
- Mitophagy and other mechanisms of mitochondrial health preservation are important areas for future investigation.
- Understanding these molecular links offers potential therapeutic targets for human aging.
Related Concept Videos
02:16Comparing Mitochondrial, Chloroplast, and Prokaryotic Genomes
16.2K
The present-day mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes have retained some of the characteristics of their ancestral prokaryotes and also have acquired new attributes during their evolution within eukaryotic cells. Like prokaryotic genomes, mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes neither bind with histone-like proteins nor show complex packaging into chromosome-like structures, as observed in eukaryotes. Unlike mitotic cell divisions observed in eukaryotic cells, mitochondria and chloroplasts...
16.2K
02:17Microtubule Instability
6.3K
Microtubules are hollow cylindrical filaments having a diameter of approximately 25 nm and a length that varies from 200 nm to 25 μm. GTP-bound tubulin subunits form αβ-heterodimers for microtubule assembly. These core building blocks interact longitudinally, polymerizing into protofilaments. The protofilaments then interact with one another through lateral bonding forces to form stable cylindrical microtubules. These cylindrical filaments are dynamic as they undergo repeated...
6.3K
02:19Export of Mitochondrial and Chloroplast Genes
4.2K
A eukaryotic cell can have up to three different types of genetic systems: nuclear, mitochondrial, and chloroplast. During evolution, organelles have exported many genes to the nucleus; this transfer is still ongoing in some plant species. Approximately 18% of the Arabidopsis thaliana nuclear genome is thought to be derived from the chloroplast’s cyanobacterial ancestor, and around 75% of the yeast genome derived from the mitochondria’s bacterial ancestor. This export has occurred...
4.2K
02:59Animal Mitochondrial Genetics
9.3K
Among all the organelles in an animal cell, only mitochondria have their own independent genomes. Animal mitochondrial DNA is a double-stranded, closed-circular molecule with around 20,000 base pairs. Mitochondrial DNA is unique in that one of its two strands, the heavy, or H, -strand is guanine rich, whereas the complementary strand is cytosine rich and called the light, or L, -strand. Compared to nuclear DNA, mitochondrial DNA has a very low percentage of non-coding regions and is marked by...
9.3K
02:02Genomics
40.7K
Genomics is the science of genomes: it is the study of all the genetic material of an organism. In humans, the genome consists of information carried in 23 pairs of chromosomes in the nucleus, as well as mitochondrial DNA. In genomics, both coding and non-coding DNA is sequenced and analyzed. Genomics allows a better understanding of all living things, their evolution, and their diversity. It has a myriad of uses: for example, to build phylogenetic trees, to improve productivity and...
40.7K
01:28Understanding the Self
303
The self is a central aspect of human identity, encompassing an individual’s beliefs, emotions, perceptions, and experiences. It is a cognitive and psychological construct that enables individuals to interpret their traits and behaviors, influencing how they perceive themselves and interact with the world. While personality consists of stable and enduring characteristics, the self is shaped by self-perception and social experiences. This distinction highlights the dynamic nature of the...
303