Scientists studying tiny roundworms have uncovered how the secrets of a long life can be passed from parents to their offspring — without changing DNA. The discovery shows that when certain cellular structures called lysosomes change in ways that promote longevity, those benefits can travel from body cells to reproductive cells. This information is carried by histones, special proteins that help organize DNA, allowing the “memory” of those changes to be inherited.
Scientists studying tiny roundworms have uncovered how the secrets of a long life can be passed from parents to their offspring — without changing DNA. The discovery shows that when certain cellular structures called lysosomes change in ways that promote longevity, those benefits can travel from body cells to reproductive cells. This information is carried by histones, special proteins that help organize DNA, allowing the “memory” of those changes to be inherited. Scientists studying tiny roundworms have uncovered how the secrets of a long life can be passed from parents to their offspring — without changing DNA. The discovery shows that when certain cellular structures called lysosomes change in ways that promote longevity, those benefits can travel from body cells to reproductive cells. This information is carried by histones, special proteins that help organize DNA, allowing the “memory” of those changes to be inherited.