Four old maps lay in a desk drawer. Each one marked the genes that drive cells to age, but the maps did not match. A scientist had to compare them by hand, and that ate up a lot of time.
The new SenSASP study stitched those maps into one. All the genes from the four databases were brought to a common format, duplicates were removed, and the result was 1250 unique genes. Then three useful things were added to each gene. First, the researchers noted whether the gene has a counterpart in mice and zebrafish, which means the gene can be studied in those animals. Second, they showed in which human tissues the gene is active. Third, they mapped the connections between genes: which ones act together.
Now a biologist can ask the database: "Which aging genes exist in both mice and fish, are active in the liver, and are linked to the important gene TP53?" and get a list right away. Such a question used to take days. The map has become a shared one, and it makes the path to anti-aging drugs easier to find.
Only two genes, IL6 and JUN, are supported by all four original resources, highlighting the fragmentation of the field and the importance of a consensus core. TP53, the network's main hub, has degree 368, reflecting its central role in stress-induced senescence.
Not published on arXiv. Here are its page, the PDF and the formalization: you can check it yourself, not only read our account.