X-Message-Number: 14520
From: Eugene Leitl <>
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 08:27:01 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: An Anti aging pill?

From: "John Clark" <>
Sender: 
To: <>
Cc: "transhuman" <>
Subject: >H An Anti aging pill?
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2000 11:25:44 -0400

Transhuman Mailing List

In today's (Sept 22) issue of Science Dr. Leonard Guarente reports
that he's found exactly why caloric restriction leads to longer life;
at least he's found the mechanism that works yeast and strongly
suspects the same thing is true of all life. Caloric restriction has
extend the life of every species it has been tested in.

The key is a gene called SIR2 , the protein it produces clads to parts
of the DNA helix, covering it up and in effect turns off other genes
that are supposed to be turned off.  But for the gene to make this
cladding protein it needs a substance called NAD, and it turns out NAD
is also used in glucose metabolism, so if you eat a lot there is less
NAD available to make this very important cladding protein.

There is talk of a pill. Geneticist Tomas Prolla referring to life
extension says "I don't think a 30 to 40% range should be considered
some kind of maximum.

      John K Clark        

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