10 January 2012
Timely ends: telomere length in early life predicts lifespan
New research led by a team at the University of Glasgow shows that a good indicator of how long individuals will live
can be obtained from early in life using the length of specialised pieces of DNA called telomeres. Telomeres occur at
the ends of the chromosomes, which contain our genetic code. They function a bit like the plastic caps at the end of
shoelaces by marking the chromosome ends and protecting them from various process that gradually cause the ends to be
worn away. This method of DNA protection is the same for most animals and plants, including humans, and the eventual
loss of the telomere cap is known to cause cells to malfunction. This study is the first in which telomere length has
been measured in the same individuals from early life and then repeatedly during the rest of their natural lives. The
results show that telomere length in early life is strongly predictive of subsequent lifespan.
The researchers measured telomere lengths in small samples of blood cells taken at various ages in a group of zebra
finches whose lifespan varied from just 210 days to almost nine years. The best predictor of longevity was telomere
length at just 25 days. Dr Britt Heidinger from the University of Glasgow said, “While there was a lot of variation
amongst individuals in telomere length, those birds that lived longest had the longest telomeres at every measurement
point.”
It is known that the variation in telomere length is partly inherited, but also varies due to variation in environmental
factors such as exposure to stress.
Professor Pat Monaghan, who led the team added, “Our study shows the great importance of processes acting early in life.
We now need to know more about how early life conditions can influence the pattern of telomere loss, and the relative
importance of inherited and environmental factors. This is the main focus of our current research.”
The study was published on 9 January 2012 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. The work was
funded by the European Research Council, with additional support from the UK Natural Environment Research Council, the
Wellcome Trust and the US National Science Foundation.
ENDS