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This document is an editorial titled "Year in review: discussions in genetics of aging" published in the journal Frontiers in Genetics. It discusses a research topic that includes original articles, opinion articles, and a mini-review on genetics of aging. The articles cover various topics such as senescence, COVID-19, and aging clocks. The studies provide insights into aging biomarkers, the role of cellular senescence in diseases, and the effects of COVID-19 on epigenetic clocks. The editorial acknowledges the importance of these studies in advancing our understanding of age-related diseases. Additionally, the document discusses the SenNet Consortium's research project, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which aims to map senescent cells throughout the human lifespan to better understand their impact on physiological health. The project seeks to provide valuable insights into the biology of aging and potentially identify new therapeutic targets. The article highlights the importance of this research for advancing our understanding of aging and promoting healthier aging strategies. [Extracted from the article]

The prevalence of obesity is increasing in older adults and contributes to age-related decline. Caloric restriction (CR) alleviates obesity phenotypes and delays the onset of age-related changes. However, how late in life organisms benefit from switching from a high-(H) to a low-calorie (L) diet is unclear. We transferred male flies from a H to a L (HL) diet or vice versa (LH) at different times during life. Both shifts immediately change fly rate of aging even when applied late in life. HL shift rapidly reduces fly mortality rate to briefly lower rate than in flies on a constant L diet, and extends lifespan. Transcriptomic analysis uncovers that flies aged on H diet have acquired increased stress response, which may have temporal advantage over flies aged on L diet and leads to rapid decrease in mortality rate after HL switch. Conversely, a LH shift increases mortality rate, which is temporarily higher than in flies aged on a H diet, and shortens lifespan. Unexpectedly, more abundant transcriptomic changes accompanied LH shift, including increase in ribosome biogenesis, stress response and growth. These changes reflect protection from sudden release of ROS, energy storage, and use of energy to growth, which all likely contribute to higher mortality rate. As the beneficial effects of CR on physiology and lifespan are conserved across many organisms, our study provides framework to study underlying mechanisms of CR interventions that counteract the detrimental effects of H diets and reduce rate of aging even when initiated later in life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Words life span, oxidative stress, insulin/IGF-like signaling, caloric restriction, gene expression Abstract Research into the mechanisms underlying the process of aging is emerging as an exciting area of biomedical [...]

The examination of [Beta]-galactosidase ([Beta]-gal) expression in the third segment of the antenna of the 2216 enhancer trap line in Drosophila melanogaster reveals two distinct spatial and temporal regulatory patterns of expression during adult life. Type I expression is characterized by a decline in the level of [Beta]-gal expression with increasing age. Starting from a maximal level of expression at the time of adult emergence, there is a decrease in the number of cells that express [Beta]-gal so that by 40-50 days of adult life few cells express [Beta]-gal. Varying the ambient temperature and using hyperactivity mutants ([Hyperkinetic.sup.1], [Shaker.sup.5]) demonstrates that the rate of this decline is independent of temperature and metabolic rate. Type II expression is distinctly different in spatial distribution and temporal regulation from the first pattern. Type II expression is restricted in the antenna to a small (

Examination of gene expression and aging in adult Drosophila reveals that the expression of some genes is regulated by age-dependent mechanisms. Genetic mutations, [Hyperkinetic.sup1] and [Shaker.sup.5], which are known to shorten life span through an acceleration of the aging process, were used to study the expression of an enhancer trap marked gene. The temporal pattern of expression for such a marked gene shows scaling with respect to life span; it is altered in direct proportion to the life expectancy of the adult animal. This demonstrates that expression of this gene is controlled through mechanisms coupled to physiologic as opposed to chronologic age. Results provide direct evidence for linkage between the regulation of gene expression and life span and establish a model system for the genetic analysis of aging.

Enhancer trap and reporter gene methods were used to examine temporal patterns of gene expression in the adult Drosophila melanogaster. The test focused on the functional relationship between protein presence in the antenna cells and adult age. Some genes expressed patterns that were scaled with life span. A graduated pattern was observed for the adult fly, indicating active gene regulation for the adult life span.