Lessons from the Naked Mole Rat's DNA Repair Mechanism
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: General Science (Biology - Genetics, DNA structure and repair, Proteins, Ageing); Science & Technology (Biotechnology).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 3 (S&T): Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life; Awareness in the fields of Bio-technology. Research on aging and longevity has significant long-term implications.
Key Highlights from the News
Scientists have uncovered the genetic secret behind the longevity of Naked mole rats found in Africa, which live up to ten times longer than other mammals.
In humans and mice, a molecule called cGAS, which hinders DNA repair, paradoxically aids in efficient DNA repair in naked mole rats. 🧬
The reason behind this remarkable change:
A small difference in four amino acid substitutions in the cGAS protein causes this change.
This alteration helps the cGAS molecule to attach to damaged DNA for a longer duration.
This attracts other DNA repair proteins, accelerating the process called homologous recombination.
This discovery proves that longevity can be achieved in evolution by "flipping the role" of a harmful molecule.
This finding may help develop new treatments for age-related diseases in the future.
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