Evolutionary genetics of ageing.
Evolutionary forces have shaped the genetic architecture of aging, leading to the accumulation of late-acting deleterious mutations and conserved longevity pathways across species.
- Why it matters: Understanding why aging occurs and varies is crucial as modern humans live much longer than ancestral populations, exposing them to age-related diseases driven by genetic factors.
- What they did: The authors review advances in comparative genomics, human genetic studies, and multi-omics biomarkers, integrating evolutionary theory with molecular mechanisms to test aging predictions.
- The result: This synthesis clarifies why aging evolves and differs among species and individuals, providing insights that could inform strategies to extend healthspan and mitigate age-related diseases.