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BOB HIRSHON (host):
Can a missing gene lead to longevity? I’m Bob Hirshon and this is Science Update.
Today on Science Update, a roundup of recent research findings. First off, Brown University researchers report in the journal Cell that mice missing a copy of a gene involved in cell division lived longer, healthier lives than mice with both copies. The same gene occurs in people, so the team is looking to see how it might affect human health. In other news, Harvard researchers report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that three times more methane is leaking from pipelines in Boston than was thought. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas there’s concern that leaks are widely underestimated. Finally, in the journal Nature, scientists identify eight genetic variations that affect the size of key brain regions. The research could help scientists better understand brain development and disorders like autism and schizophrenia. I’m Bob Hirshon, for AAAS, the science society.
To read more, visit:
https://www.cell.com/cell/abstract/S0092-8674%2814%2901586-4
https://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature14101.html
https://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/01/21/1416261112.abstract