Chinese scientists have identified a gene1 playing an important role in regulating the development and lifespan of primates2 through genome-editing technology and experiments on monkeys and human stem cells.
中国科学家通过基因组编辑技术以及在猴子和人类干细胞实验的基础上发现一个基因，这个基因对于调节灵长类的发育以及寿命起着重要作用。
The study may open the door to new research on human development and aging, as well as new treatments for age-related
disorders3, said Liu Guanghui, a professor at the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
Understanding the
genetic4 basis of aging is the
prerequisite5 to delaying aging and treating age-related illnesses, Liu said.
In 1999, scientists found that the Sir2 gene plays a role in prolonging the lifespan of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a kind of
yeast6. Then scientists found that the SIRT6 gene, a homologue of Sir2, is involved in the regulation of aging and
longevity7 in
rodents8.
Deficiency of SIRT6 from mice leads to features of accelerated aging such as loss of subcutaneous fat,
spinal9 curvature, colitis and shortening of telomere.
However, the biological function of SIRT6 in primates
remains10 largely unknown.
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