It has been found that an enzyme called Methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) is important in the means of protecting cells against oxidative damage which in turn leads to a longer lifespan.

Researchers from Florida Atlantic University's Department of Biological Sciences and Center for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and Santo Tomas University's School of Biotechnology in Chile have concluded that MsrA-1 is a major factor in the lifespan extension in C. Elegans.

"Methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) is a well-studied antioxidant enzyme that has been found to be important for protecting cells against oxidative damage and regulating lifespan in several species. However, the role of MsrA in dietary restriction has not been examined."

The researchers used 50 msra-1 mutant worms and were examined for the homozygous deletion mutation and all tested worms showed the homozygous deletion. Two methods were performed, the solid dietary restriction (sDR) method and bacterial dietary restriction (BDR) method.

The results indicate that MsrA plays an essential role in dietary restriction-mediated lifespan extension in C. Elegans. MsrA is an enzyme that has been found to be important for protecting cells against oxidative stress and regulating lifespan in several species.

It has been shown that dietary restriction increases the life span of many species and methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) has been found to be important in the means of protecting cells against oxidative damage and regulating lifespan in several species. (Oxidative stress is a popular explanation of how aging occurs at the molecular level.)

"These data suggest [that] MsrA-1 is a major factor in the solid dietary restriction-induced lifespan extension because it is a target gene of DAF-16 (notable for being the primary transcription factor for lifespan extension). This result, coupled with [...] finding that MsrA mediates the effect of insulin-like signaling on lifespan extension, indicates an essential role of MsrA in the aging process in C. Elegans. interestingly, human FOXO3a has been shown to regulate expression of more and can bind to the C.elegans msra-1 promoter, suggesting MsrA may be required for the health beneficial effect of dietary restriction in other species including humans."

These results suggest that MsrA-1 leads to the reduction of oxidative stress and hence the extension of lifespans. This enzyme may also be beneficial for humans as well and in the future may lead to more years added to the human lifespan.