Aging and DNA

Was thinking about this a while ago:

From what is understood about DNA and aging it is assumed the aging process is due to "decay" or "destruction" of genetic material over time while replicating over and over with "aging material".

Essential it is thought that DNA decays over time by "unwinding" or "unraveling" from its ends...

Why then couldn't DNA be constructed in a complete circle? Then the "ends" wouldn't exist at all to unravel or decay through age...

DNA instead of being strand like would be circular? I see one thing being extremely problematic with circular DNA is that the ability to replicate and reproduce would be pretty much gone. DNA unwinds to replicate in human reproduction, I don't know what a circular DNA structure would do when trying to rip in half or reproduce? Interesting to think about none the less...

"The Telomeres Theory of Aging is Possibly the Most Important Medical Discovery of All Times"
www.age4ever.com...

"Later, cell biologists discovered that at the end of each long strand of DNA there was a cap, sort of sealing the strand together, keeping it from unraveling. Scientists called this structure a “telomere.”

Further, it was discovered that each time a cell divides, a little piece of the DNA's cap was eroded. After about 60 divisions, it was completely gone, allowing the DNA to unravel. "

reply to post by Sly1one


Pretty cool stuff Sly1one, now if they can figure out how to safely splice some "telomerase" into our dna, we could maintain the "caps."
Well, now we know about the homocysteine levels, and how to boost them.
I'm off to the health store to stock up on the suggested supplements. Maybe I will have my homocysteine levels checked to see if I can then increase them and therefore qualify any efforts.

Peace,
spec

Originally posted by speculativeoptimist
reply to post by Sly1one

 

Pretty cool stuff Sly1one, now if they can figure out how to safely splice some "telomerase" into our dna, we could maintain the "caps."
Well, now we know about the homocysteine levels, and how to boost them.
I'm off to the health store to stock up on the suggested supplements. Maybe I will have my homocysteine levels checked to see if I can then increase them and therefore qualify any efforts.

Peace,
spec

Thanks, glad you found interest in the topic.

I'm wondering what other lifestyle factors could be contributing to a possible increased erosion of the caps. Processed foods anyone? Fluoride in the drinking water? I could think of a million different modern commonalities that might contribute to cap erosion. I would like to see further studies on this to see what affects cap erosion within DNA strands.

Thar's vary interesting.

DNA is also a computer program, that is programed to run a human program from start to finish.

Who wrought this program? And why does it end in this manner. If our DNA is a program then can we change it, to make us live longer, how about having our DNA stop all of the bad mutation in our cells. How about we learn to communicate with with our DNA, so we can tell it to stop aging and getting sick and tell it to grow back limb's and make our selfs in to super humans. DNA is what controls every aspect of the body but not our Consciousness.

So who controls our DNA, DNA or our Consciousness looks to me that we are missing a important connection that lets us talk to our DNA so that we can make this human body do what ever we want.

Or is it just the next step in our evolution, to Consciously control our DNA.

cheers

Constructing DNA in a circle wouldn't do much to counteract erosion of telomeres. The problem is not just corrosion of the DNA from free radicals - it is also due to the transcription process. So, your circle idea, while interesting - would not do much to change the mechanics of RNA transcription that ultimately cause the length of telomeres to shorten.

learn.genetics.utah.edu...

Before a cell can divide, the chromosomes within it are duplicated so that each of the two new cells contains identical genetic material. A chromosome's two strands of DNA must unwind and separate. An enzyme (DNA polymerase) then starts to make two new strands of DNA to match each of the two unwound strands. It does this with the help of short pieces of RNA. When each new matching strand is completed, it is a bit shorter than the original strand because of the room needed at the end by this small piece of RNA. It is like someone who paints himself into a corner and cannot paint the corner.

Further links of interest:

www4.utsouthwestern.edu...

www.scientificamerican.com...

- It should be rather interesting to see what comes from all of this as time goes on.

I've thought a little about this subject area.

One thing I always wonder is if they did find a way to halt the ageing process, then exactly what terms would be tied in with it ?

What would you do if they figured it out, so you could live as long as you allowed yourself, but the catch is you will never be able to have children ?

At the end of the day, you cant have people procreating if they are going to live forever draining resources now can we ?

I would love to live for a few thousand years, but my daughter is my world and the reason I allow my existence.

Without the experience of being a father, I would never have achieved the lessons it has taught me or ever have come close to my progression as a human being.

Originally posted by Aim64C
Constructing DNA in a circle wouldn't do much to counteract erosion of telomeres. The problem is not just corrosion of the DNA from free radicals - it is also due to the transcription process. So, your circle idea, while interesting - would not do much to change the mechanics of RNA transcription that ultimately cause the length of telomeres to shorten.

learn.genetics.utah.edu...

Before a cell can divide, the chromosomes within it are duplicated so that each of the two new cells contains identical genetic material. A chromosome's two strands of DNA must unwind and separate. An enzyme (DNA polymerase) then starts to make two new strands of DNA to match each of the two unwound strands. It does this with the help of short pieces of RNA. When each new matching strand is completed, it is a bit shorter than the original strand because of the room needed at the end by this small piece of RNA. It is like someone who paints himself into a corner and cannot paint the corner.

Further links of interest:

www4.utsouthwestern.edu...

www.scientificamerican.com...

- It should be rather interesting to see what comes from all of this as time goes on.

Interesting to think that the very thing that made us possible in the first place is designed to self-destruct in a sense.

reply to post by Sly1one

Everything is rotating in a cicle, our dna. the solar sistem, the galaxy and the universe, and I guess god is in the middle of it all. Were just driving thru life making choices based on yes and no sistem.

Yes=right .
No=left.
I have a feeling we are not suppose to say yes to everything or NO would be absolete.
I would picture it this way, saying yes to everyting, like, alcohol, drugs would only make your life shorter, and saying no to good stuff would do the same, so it's how we feel, perception of our feelings, it's life.
It''s the very basic way our dna works.