Newswise — Scientists have discovered a novel anti-aging defence in the brain cells of adult fruit flies: producing extra copies of the genome, according to a new study published today in eLife.
The findings could help explain how the brain, which rarely produces new cells, is able to cope with the accumulation of cell damage over time and prevent excess cell loss during aging. They may also help scientists answer questions about human age-related brain diseases.
Most cells have two copies of each chromosome, one from each parent. This provides each cell with two complete copies of DNA, referred to as the genome. But some cells accumulate extra copies of chromosomes, although how and why they do this is not entirely clear. Some scientists have suggested that excess chromosomes might lead to age-related brain diseases.
“The brain of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is…
