Scientists unlock secret to youthful skin

A statement by Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) on Tuesday said that an international team of scientists led by Bruno Reversade from A*STAR's Institute of Medical Biology (IMB) discovered that mutations in a certain gene caused a rare genetic condition that results in premature skin ageing.

The gene is known as PYCR1. Using bioinformatics tools, the research team analyzed rare DNA samples collected from affected patients across the world who, at a young age, displayed signs of premature ageing. They identified the PYCR1 gene on chromosome 17 of these patients to be defective and found specific mutations in the gene that led to conditions often seen in elderly people, such as loose skin, loss of bone density, hip dislocation and cataract, Kazinform cites China Daily.

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