Genomic approaches for the understanding of aging in model organisms

BMB Rep. 2011 May;44(5):291-7. doi: 10.5483/BMBRep.2011.44.5.291.

Abstract

Aging is one of the most complicated biological processes in all species. A number of different model organisms from yeast to monkeys have been studied to understand the aging process. Until recently, many different age-related genes and age-regulating cellular pathways, such as insulin/IGF-1-like signal, mitochondrial dysfunction, Sir2 pathway, have been identified through classical genetic studies. Parallel to genetic approaches, genome-wide approaches have provided valuable insights for the understanding of molecular mechanisms occurring during aging. Gene expression profiling analysis can measure the transcriptional alteration of multiple genes in a genome simultaneously and is widely used to elucidate the mechanisms of complex biological pathways. Here, current global gene expression profiling studies on normal aging and age-related genetic/environmental interventions in widely-used model organisms are briefly reviewed.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aging / genetics*
  • Animals
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Genome*
  • Humans
  • Signal Transduction / genetics