Solar-powered cells: Light-activated proton pumps generate cellular energy, extend life emboreports NatureAging
takes a page from the field of renewable energy and shows that genetically engineered mitochondria can convert light energy into chemical energy that cells can use, ultimately extending the life of the roundworm C. elegans. While the prospect of sunlight-charged cells in humans is more science fiction than science, the findings shed light on important mechanisms in the aging process.is a consequence of aging," said Andrew Wojtovich, Ph.D.
Production of ATP is the result of a number of reactions made possible by the exchange of protons across a membrane that separates different compartments in mitochondria, ultimately forming a process called membrane potential. It has been shown that membrane potential declines with age, potentially playing a role in a number of age-related diseases, such as neurodegenerative disorders.
To carry out the experiments, a team of researchers from the U.S. and Germany adapted an existing research tool that allowed them to manipulate activity in mitochondria. The technique, called optogenetics, has been traditionally used to target and activate specific neurons, thus enabling researchers to more precisely study patterns of brain activity.
Brandon Berry, Ph.D., who received his doctoral degree in physiology from the University of Rochester and is now a post-doctoral scholar at the University of Washington, is first author of both studies."Mitochondria are similar to industrial power plants in that they combust a source of carbon, primarily glucose, to produce useful energy for the cell," said Berry.
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