Access

News and Views

Nature 421, 125-126 (9 January 2003) | doi:10.1038/421125a

Open Innovation Challenges

  • Single-cell Analysis Platform

    • Deadline: Dec 02 2009
    • Reward: $5,000 USD

    This Challenge is looking for novel approaches to analyzing changes at a single-cell level. This is...

  • Optimizing Sub-cellular Localization Tags

    • Deadline: Nov 29 2009
    • Reward: $20,000 USD

    The Seeker is looking for methods to optimize sub-cellular localization tags for protein expression....

naturejobs

Physiology: Cost-free longevity in mice?

Gordon J. Lithgow & Matthew S. Gill

Top

Studies of worms have revealed hundreds of proteins that, when mutated, extend lifespan. Can this work tell us anything about mammalian ageing? A look at the effects of one such protein on lab mice suggests that it can.

Just over five years ago, molecular geneticists working with the microscopic worm Caenorhabditis elegans made an intriguing discovery1 about a protein that, when its activity is reduced, doubles the animal's lifespan2. They found that the protein — DAF-2 — is structurally similar to the human receptor proteins that allow cells to respond to insulin or insulin-like growth factors (IGF).

  1. Gordon J. Lithgow and Matthew S. Gill are at The Buck Institute, 8001 Redwood Boulevard, Novato, California 94949, USA.

Correspondence to: Gordon J. Lithgow e-mail: Email: glithgow@buckinstitute.org

Correspondence to: Matthew S. Gill e-mail: Email: mgill@buckinstitute.org