Ubiquitous overexpression of the DNA repair factor dPrp19 reduces DNA damage and extends Drosophila life span

Abstract

Aging: Living longer by improving DNA repair Increasing levels of DNA repair factor Prp19 in fruit flies extends their life span and protects against stress. Prp19 is a protein that is present in a wide range of organisms and enables human endothelial cells to live longer in vitro. In this article, an international team of scientists from Austria, Germany and Switzerland found that higher Prp19 levels also prolong the life span of a whole organism in fruit flies, reduce DNA damage and increase survival when exposed to DNA damaging compounds. In contrast to female flies, males were unaffected. Their findings support the long-held view that repair of DNA damage, one of the hallmarks of aging, is key to longevity. They also provide an intriguing but poorly understood connection between cellular aging and the survival of whole organisms.