Yeast may contain the secret of how to combat ageing Scientists have discovered how the ageing process is controlled in yeast - and hope it will help them find ways to turn back the clock in humans.
Researchers know that ageing can be slowed by reducing the number of calories taken in to the body.
There is evidence that a reduced calorific intake can slow down both the deterioration of the body, and the march of age-related diseases. However, it would be very difficult to follow a diet that could achieve this effect. The new discovery raises the possibility of developing drugs that could do the same thing without the need for a brutally strict diet. The gene is responsible for the production of a protein, Sir2. The higher the level of this protein, the longer the life span of yeast cells.