Swiss scientists tested a gene that, after being introduced into the body of a fruit fly, extended the life of the insect by one and a half times. The authors published the results of their studies in the journal Cell, and briefly reports on them by The Daily Mail.
Scientists provided the fly with tissues containing additional copies of a gene called ahuizotl.
The introduction of such an "elixir of youth" led to the fact that the destruction of sick and damaged cells in the insect intensified, and the life span of the insect increased by 50-60 percent.
“Keeping healthy cells in specific tissues and killing patients regardless of health status is a strategy that seems to work well in many cases, and it also exists in mammals,” said Eduardo Moreno of the University of Bern, cell biologist and experiment leader. …
Humans also have the ahuizotl gene. If the conclusions on the effect of a gene on a fly's body apply to humans, its introduction into the human body can increase their average life expectancy up to 120 years.
The gene got its name in honor of the dog-like character of the Aztec myth. The creature lived in the water and protected the inhabitants of the lake from people, carrying them deep into the reservoir.
