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Updated: May 13, 2026

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

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

Published on: September 17, 2020

Evolutionary genetics of ageing.

Handan Melike Dönertaş^1,2, Linda Partridge³

¹Leibniz Institute on Aging - Fritz Lipmann Institute (FLI), Jena, Germany. melike.donertas@leibniz-fli.de.

Nature Reviews. Genetics

|May 11, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Evolutionary pressures explain why aging occurs and why age-related diseases share genetic links. Understanding these evolutionary factors can guide efforts to extend human healthspan.

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Gerontology
Genetics

Background:

Modern humans live longer, experiencing molecular pathways initially optimized for youth.
Natural selection's reduced influence in adulthood allows accumulation of late-acting deleterious mutations.
Evolutionary theory explains conserved longevity pathways and lifespan variation across species.

Purpose of the Study:

To integrate evolutionary genetics with molecular mechanisms of aging.
To clarify the evolutionary basis of aging.
To explore how aging varies across species and individuals.

Main Methods:

Review of comparative genomics data.
Analysis of large-scale human genetic studies.
Integration of multi-omics aging biomarkers.

Main Results:

Evolutionary principles elucidate patterns in aging and lifespan.
Shared genetic architectures of age-related diseases are explained by evolutionary processes.
Deleterious mutations and beneficial alleles with late-life costs accumulate due to weakened selection in adulthood.

Conclusions:

Evolutionary genetics provides a framework for understanding aging.
Insights into aging evolution can inform strategies for healthspan extension.
Further research integrating evolutionary and molecular approaches is crucial.