New Study Finds Answers to Ageing: Understanding Gene Transcription and How to Slow it Down

A new study published in the scientific journal Nature has discovered breakthrough findings on ageing that could help reverse or slow down its effects. Researchers from the University of Cologne in Germany found that as we age, gene transcription – the process where a cell makes an RNA copy of a strand of DNA – becomes faster but less precise and more error-prone, causing the creation of “bad” copies that can lead to numerous diseases. However, the study found certain processes that could help lessen these effects, including low-calorie diets and inhibiting insulin signalling. The investigation, conducted across six different labs, worked with worms, mice, fruit flies, and young and old humans, and found that slowing down the speed of Pol II, the “machine” responsible for making the transcription copy of the gene sequences, could reduce the number of faulty copies and extend lifespan in animals by 10 to 20 percent. The study is a major discovery that could lead to a better understanding of ageing and interventions that could expand healthy ageing.