A New Approach to Understanding Ontogenesis and The Theory of Aging

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel theory explaining aging in multicellular organisms based on competition between genome parts, affecting reparative capacity and linking to cancer development.

Contribution

It presents an original theory of aging emphasizing genome competition in multicellular organisms, offering new insights into ontogenesis and potential avenues for intervention.

Findings

Increased activity of specialized genome components reduces reparative capacity.

Competition between genome parts impairs post-mitotic cell functions.

Understanding genome regulation could inform aging and cancer research.

Abstract

This paper proposes an original theory of aging of multicellular organisms. The cells of multicellular organisms, in contrast to unicellular organisms, are burdened with a two- part genome: housekeeping and specialized (multicellular), responsible for ontogenesis and terminal differentiation. The two parts of the genome compete for limited adaptive resources thereby interfering with the ability of the house-keeping part of the genome to adequately perform reparative and adaptive functions in post mitotic cells. The necessity to complete the ontgenesis program, leads to increased activity of the multicellular components of the genome. As a result, the allocation of cellular resources to specialized genome con-tinuously increases with time. This leads to a deficit of reparative and adaptive capacity in post mitotic cells. Suggestions for future research focus on identifying groups of genes responsible for regulation of growth rate of specialized genome and suppressing ability of the cell division. A better understanding of the relationship between the two parts of the genome will not only help us to manipulate ontogenesis and aging, but will also improve our understanding of cancer development and ontogenesis.