The proposed experiments will establish a foundation for future studies on the relationship of WRN polymorphisms to age-associated human diseases. These fundamental studies will hasten the pace of research on the relationship of mutations and age-associated diseases and thus are central to medicine and public health. All of the procedures have been established and are ongoing in our laboratory and can be completed within two years.
Werner syndrome is an inherited disorder that mimics premature aging and includes many age-related diseases, such as cancer. We propose to study the biochemical properties and cellular functions of WRN, the protein product of the Werner syndrome gene. Our work will increase understanding of the mechanisms by which WRN protects normal persons against early manifestations of aging, promotes stability of the human genome, and reduces the incidence of cancer.
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