RNA splicing is the process by which RNA is assembled from intron and exon sequences in genes. A given gene can be assembled into different RNAs depending on what is included or excluded. The balance of different RNAs produced from a gene tends to change with age, and this may be a cause of dysfunction. Starting from a position of screening for compounds that reduce age-related dysregulation in RNA splicing in nematode worms, researchers happen upon a compound that achieves this goal and extends life by manipulating the activities of gut microbes. Determining how and why life extension occurs in this case will take somewhat longer than the discovery of the approach – it need not have anything to do with RNA splicing. It s…
Doxifluridine Manipulates Gut Microbe Activities to Extend Life in Nematodes
RNA splicing is the process by which RNA is assembled from intron and exon sequences in genes. A given gene can be assembled into different RNAs depending on what is included or excluded. The balance of different RNAs produced from a gene tends to change with age, and this may be a cause of dysfunction. Starting from a position of screening for compounds that reduce age-related dysregulation in RNA splicing in nematode worms, researchers happen upon a compound that achieves this goal and extends life by manipulating the activities of gut microbes. Determining how and why life extension occurs in this case will take somewhat longer than the discovery of the approach – it need not have anything to do with RNA splicing. It s…