Iron and mitochondrial aging

Aging is a process characterized by accumulated oxidative damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids,which leads to the gradual degeneration of cellular activity. Mitochondria play a central role in aging because they produce both cellular energy and oxidative stress. As resultof accumulated oxidative damage, mitochondria function decays, which leads to a cellular energy deficit and compromises cellular function. Iron is an essential nutrient reequired by mitodhondria to function optimally. It has been proved that iron supplementation increases the lifespan of several yeast strains, including superoxide dismutase mutants. We are interested in finding where the iron is going and what it might be doing that is beneficial to the cell. We have used Saccharomyces cerevisiae as our molecular model of aging. Our results indicate that the extra iron is being transported into the mitochoindria.