Protein damage, radiation sensitivity and aging

Extreme radiation and desiccation resistance of rare bacterial and animal species is accounted for by exceptional constitutive proteome protection against oxidative damage. After excessive radiation their well-protected proteome faithfully reconstitutes a transcription-competent genome from hundreds of DNA fragments. The observation that oxidative damage targeted selectively to cellular proteins results in aging-like phenotypes suggests that aging and age-related diseases could be phenotypic consequences of proteome damage patterns progressing with age.