Lecture 19 Flashcards
What is the genetic influence to lifespan
Genetic variation in “longevity” genes may influence lifespan
What are single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)
Difference in inside DNA building block (nucleotides)
How common do SNPs occur
1:300 nucleotides
What do SNPs cause
- Polymorphic changes
- Major source of genetic variation
What is polymorphism
- Phenomenon describing existence of compound in 2+ forms
- DNA sequence variation common in population
What is nutritional genomics
Science studying relationship between human genomes and human nutrition and health
Explain the potential effects of nutrition in different genotypes
If 3 people had the exact same diet:
– Genotype one would show improvement in health
– Genotype two would show no effect in health
– Genotype three would show impairment in health
What causes an increase in inflammatory cytokines
Aging
What disorders are an increase in cytokines related to
Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, arthritis
What is interleukin (IL-6)
- Inflammatory cytokine
- Regulate white blood cells
What is interleukin positively correlated with
Greater mortality
Is SNP the promoter of IL-6
Yes
- Increases IL-6 levels and mortality rate
What does it mean to be the promoter
A promoter is a region of DNA that initiated transcription of a particular gene
What genes does the mitochondria contain
Components of the ETC
How common is damage to the mitochondrial genome vs nuclear genome
Damage to the mitochondria occurs 10x more frequently
What causes damage to the mitochondria
Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS)
What are ROS’s
Highly reactive chemical species containing oxygen
What are examples of ROS’s (4)
- Peroxides
- Superoxides
- Hydroxyl radical
- Singlet oxygen
What happens to the replication process as we age
- Errors in replication become more frequent
- Accumulating mutations in mitochondrial DNA accelerate aging
What is the role of DNA polymerase gamma
Replicates and proof reads/ repairs mitochondrial DNA
What happens to DNA polymerase gamma as we age
Becomes less effective
What did the study of mice and mitochondrial mutations prove
- There is a causative link between mutations in mitochondrial DNA and aging phenotypes
- Mice with mutations showed accelerated evidence of aging by 25 weeks
How can exercise reduce effects of aging
Increased muscle and brain weight shows increased DNA polymerase gamma, correcting mitochondrial mutations
What are the effects of caloric restriction on animals
Extended healthy lifespan
