Distinct Nuclear DNA Structure in Immune Cells from Centenarians
Immune cells from centenarians exhibit a distinct chromatin accessibility signature with globally increased openness across multiple subsets and preserved promoter/enhancer accessibility in B cells that normally close with age. Integrative analysis identifies the ETS-family transcription factor ERG as a longevity-associated regulator that forms nuclear condensates via liquid–liquid phase separation, suppresses senescence-associated genes including CDKN2A, and attenuates cellular senescence phenotypes in human cells, linking TF biophysics to epigenomic resilience in extreme old age.
Why it mattersResearchers observed ERG forming nuclear condensates via phase separation, preserving immune-cell function in very old donors.