METABOLISM VERSUS AGE

[Vladimir V. Bakaev]

In his  message  <872328716.27147.0.spot.c30bfe37 at news.demon.nl> Tycho
M. Hoogland wrote:

> My question with respect to the molecular of aging is the following. Is it
>known what kind of relationship (linear, nonlinear) exists between an
>animals lifespan and its metabolism? It seems very obvious to me that
The kind of this relationship depends on kind of type of metabolism in
every case, there is a very great kinds of metabolism.
>animals with a higher metabolic rate will on the average live shorter. But
This is true. Please see details, for example, Kanungo M.S. Biochemistry of
ageing, 1980, Academic Press.
>I'd like some more information about this relationship. In the end it will
>be the careful distribution of energy resources (to feeding, reproduction
>and maintenance, etc.) that will determine how long an animal will live. Can
>anyone also tell me something about the molecular mechanisms involved.
There are hundreds theories in this respect. I believe that every cell
contains an  information  and  mechanisms of so-called "Big Biological
Clock" which regulates all development of organism from  fertilisation
to death  and it is influenced by environmental factors.  Any unfavou-
rable factors,  for example, undernutrition, low temperature, can dec-
rease rate  of this clock and this organism lives longer,  but quality
of such life is low.  I have read the elements of this theory  in  the
book of Dilman V.M.  Big biological clock, 1981, Moscow, and I suppose
that it is reasonable to find any  agents  which  can  influence  this
clock without deterioration of life quality.
     German botanist Karl Esser has developed theory of mobile intron,
please see for details the book Esser K.  et al.  Plasmids in Eucario-
tes, 1986,  Springer-Verlag, and the paper Tudzynski P. et al. Chromo-
somal and Extrachromosomal Control of Senescence in the Ascomycete Po-
dospora anserina,  Mol. gen. Genet., 1979, v.173, N1, p. 71-84 and nu-
merous subsequent publications. Excuse my brief message, but I do hope
that you are able to ubderstand the difference between this short mes-
sage and scintific review.  I'll be glad to reply on your possible qu-
estions.
     Best regards, Bakaev Vladimir V.