Mitochondrial-derived peptides (MDP) are encoded by functional short open reading frames in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). These include humanin, and the recently discovered mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c (MOTS-c). Although more research is needed, we suggest that the m.1382A>C polymorphism located in the MOTS-c encoding mtDNA, which is specific for the Northeast Asian population, may be among the putative biological mechanisms explaining the high longevity of Japanese people.
Keywords: aging; centenarians; longevity gene; longevity regulation; mitochondria; mitochondrial DNA; mitochondrial DNA abnormalities; molecular biology of aging.
© 2015 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.