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Nature 447, 536-537 (31 May 2007) | doi:10.1038/447536a; Published online 30 May 2007

Ageing: When less is more

Adam Antebi1

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Restricting dietary intake is one way to promote longevity. The identification of two genes that specifically mediate this effect in worms provides insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying ageing.

Dietary restriction — a reduction of food intake by 40–60% without malnutrition — has remarkable benefits for health and lifespan, extending the survival of species as diverse as yeast, worms, flies, rodents and perhaps even primates. Yet despite intensive study, the molecular basis of the effects of dietary restriction in animals has remained largely elusive.

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