Scientists find secret of youth

Scientists may have discovered the elixir of youth through tests on single-celled yeast organisms.

In a study published by Cell journal, Johns Hopkins and National Taiwan University researchers successfully manipulated the life span of the organisms by removing and restoring a protein function related to yeast aging.

The team illustrated that when they removed the chemical in question the life span of yeast was cut short dramatically, but when they restored it the cell's life lasted significantly longer.

Jef Boeke, director of the HiT Center and Technology Center for Networks and Pathways, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, explained that the discovery could be important as molecular components of an aging pathway in yeast appear similar to those that regulates longevity and lifespan in humans.

"We believe that for the first time, we have a biochemical route to youth and aging that has nothing to do with diet," he suggested.

The next step in the process is to determine if the same phenomenon takes place in mammalian cells.

Posted by Fiona Griffiths