[
Trends Microbiol,
1999]
As outlined by Michal Jazwinski in his recent review, multiple pathways appear to play a role in determining yeast longevity. One mechanism involves the illegitimate replication of extrachromosomal rDNA circles to toxic levels. A similar sequence of events involving excision, circularization and unfettered replication of mitochondrial (mt) DNA (called senDNA) induces senescence in the fungus Podospora anserina.