Studying Age-dependent Genomic Instability using the S. cerevisiae Chronological Lifespan Model |
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Authors: | Min Wei Federica Madia Valter D. Longo |
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Affiliation: | Andrus Gerontology Center, Department of Biological Sciences, Department of Molecular and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles |
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Abstract: | Studies using the Saccharomyces cerevisiae aging model have uncovered life span regulatory pathways that are partially conserved in higher eukaryotes1-2. The simplicity and power of the yeast aging model can also be explored to study DNA damage and genome maintenance as well as their contributions to diseases during aging. Here, we describe a system to study age-dependent DNA mutations, including base substitutions, frame-shift mutations, gross chromosomal rearrangements, and homologous/homeologous recombination, as well as nuclear DNA repair activity by combining the yeast chronological life span with simple DNA damage and mutation assays. The methods described here should facilitate the identification of genes/pathways that regulate genomic instability and the mechanisms that underlie age-dependent DNA mutations and cancer in mammals. |
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Keywords: | Genetics Issue 55 saccharomyces cerevisiae life span aging mutation frequency genomic instability |
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