In 1963, when 👩🔬👨🔬 thought free-radical damage to DNA caused aging, Smith et al. were studying wasp aging 🐝 Their unexpected results made them ask “if DNA mutation does not explain aging, what other mechanism could be involved?” Cue da epigenome… journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.108…
So fun to read these old papers. Scientists were so advanced, even though they couldn’t yet read the genome or the epigenome
The genius was to hit with X rays wasps that carried 1x or 2X copies of the genome. Those with extra DNA had the same lifespan unless irradiated. The 1X DNA wasps lived shorter, presumably due to their lack of a backup copy. Conclusion: normal aging isn’t due to mutations! Genius
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