CLK-1 Mutants and Aging

             CLK-1 MUTANTS AND THEIR ROLE IN AGING
             Aging is a fact of life, it can be scary to watch yourself and those around you grow old. The idea of a mythical fountain of youth has enticed adventures from around the world for centuries. The idea has enchanted me since I had a conversation with my grandmother in which she stressed that the only thing that mattered in life at her age was health. So what causes the body to wither with age and is there anything that we can do to prolong the inevitable?
             There are many different causes of aging, all of which result in a decline in the bodies' ability to function properly. Recent research has come up with several different ways to combat some of the major causes of the physical degeneration that is associated with growing old. Studies of long-lived mutant worms, yeast, and mice are useful tools in examining the processes that are involved in limiting/expanding the life span of organisms.
             Some of the most intriguing gene mutations known to increase life span are the daf-2, clk-1, and isp-1 which deal with the regulation and control of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). ROS's consist of molecules such as superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and hydroxyl radicals, which cause extensive damage to biological macromolecules. This leads not only to many serious diseases, but also plays an important role in aging. The main source of ROS is in the mitochondria, where superoxide is produced during the process of electron transport and can give rise to other reactive species through reactions with detoxifying enzymes (1). More specifically is the production of ROS involved in processes dealing with the reduction and subsequent oxidation of the redox-active lipid Ubiquinone (UQ).
             Understanding the role that UQ plays in the Electron Transport Chain (ETC) helps to understand the complexity of ROS formation. The ETC consists of fou
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CLK-1 Mutants and Aging. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 16:50, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/13041.html