Lysosomal enzymes are organelles performing critical functions within the human body. Better understanding and modification of lysosomes could help to rid the human body of age-related damage, which would otherwise accumulate and eventually limit the life span. This project consists of various literature reviews studying lysosomal enzymes in different species and their involvement in aging.

Background

Lysosomal enzymes are organelles performing critical functions within the human body. They take in excess and aged organelles, food, bacteria and viruses that are then broken down via the digestive enzymes inside the lysosomes. Such enzymes include lipase, nucleases, proteases and carbohydrases. These get synthesized in cytosol and endoplasmic reticulum where they are targeted for the lysosomes. Better understanding and modification of lysosomes could help to rid the human body of age-related damage, which would otherwise accumulate and eventually limit the life span.

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to study lysosomal enzymes in different species and their involvement in aging. This project is intended to be initiated as a literature review, but may be expanded to include lab work to further investigate lysosomal functioning and different possibilities of manipulations. Lab work ambitions are beyond the scope of this proposal and should be developed by the student separately.

Project Objectives

High School Students (literature review)

• General list of all identified lysosomal enzymes in humans and other species.

• General Overview of current literature on lysosomal enzymes and their manipulations.

Undergraduate Students (literature review)

• Detailed overview of the different human lysosomal enzymes and their functions.

• Comparison of lysosomal enzymes between studied species (focus on ones present in other species but not humans or lysosomal enzymes present in humans but lacking in other species)

• Detailed representation of such lysosomal enzymes while focusing on their involvement in aging.

• Short overview of how these enzymes could be modified to combat aging

Graduate Students (literature review and operational strategy)

• Highly detailed literature review on topics listed for undergraduates

• May incorporate lab work that aims at gaining further insight into lysosomes and exploring possible enzyme modifications.

• Set up of a potential lysosomal enzyme manipulation to combat aging (this is ideally followed by lab work putting the idea to a test).

References

[1] Kimball, John W. (25 April 2007). Lysosomes and Peroxisomes. Kimball's Biology Pages. Retrieved 21 Jan 2009 from

<http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/L/Lysosomes.html>

 Project proposal created by: Sophie Lukowski

Project approved by Aubrey de Grey and John Schloendorn