Scientists at University of Utah Health report a hidden RNA “aging clock” in human sperm. Increasing paternal age is linked to higher health risks for the next generation. The team used a new sequencing method, PANDORA-seq, to detect RNAs that standard methods miss.
In mice the researchers saw a sharp transition in sperm RNA between 50 and 70 weeks and a steady shift as males aged. Human sperm showed a similar progressive change. The team also put a cocktail of “old RNA” into mouse embryonic stem cells, and those cells showed gene changes tied to metabolism and neurodegeneration. The key signal came from the sperm head, and the finding was validated in human samples. Researchers plan to identify enzymes that drive the RNA shift and to explore ways to improve sperm quality in older males.
Difficult words
- paternal — relating to a child's father or fathers
- sequencing — process to read the order of genetic material
- embryonic — relating to an early stage of an organism
- metabolism — chemical processes that keep a living body working
- neurodegeneration — progressive loss of nerve cells and their function
- validate — to show something is correct or truevalidated
- enzyme — protein that speeds up chemical reactionsenzymes
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Discussion questions
- Why might increasing paternal age affect children’s health?
- What would you ask researchers who study sperm aging?
- Do you think it is important to try to improve sperm quality in older males? Why or why not?
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