Accelerated aging and nucleolar fragmentation in yeast sgs1 mutants.

Authors: Sinclair DA; Mills K; Guarente L

Abstract: The SGS1 gene of yeast encodes a DNA helicase with homology to the human WRN gene. Mutations in WRN result in Werner's syndrome, a disease with symptoms resembling premature aging. Mutation of SGS1 is shown to cause premature aging in yeast mother cells on the basis of a shortened life-span and the aging-induced phenotypes of sterility and redistribution of the Sir3 silencing protein from telomeres to the nucleolus. Further, in old sgs1 cells the nucleolus is enlarged and fragmented-changes that also occur in old wild-type cells. These findings suggest a conserved mechanism of cellular aging that may be related to nucleolar structure.

Keywords: *Cell Aging; Cell Division; Cell Nucleolus/chemistry/metabolism/*ultrastructure; DNA Helicases/*genetics/physiology; Exodeoxyribonucleases; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; Fungal Proteins/analysis; Genes, Fungal; Humans; Mutation; Phenotype; RecQ Helicases; Saccharomyces cerevisiae/*cytology/*genetics/physiology/ultrastructure; Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; *Silent Information Regulator Proteins, Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Trans-Activators/analysis; Werner Syndrome/genetics
Journal: Science (New York, N.Y.)
Volume: 277
Issue: 5330
Pages: 1313-6
Date: Aug. 29, 1997
PMID: 9271578
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Citation:

Sinclair DA, Mills K, Guarente L (1997) Accelerated aging and nucleolar fragmentation in yeast sgs1 mutants. Science (New York, N.Y.) 277: 1313-6.


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