A Radical Signal Activates the Epigenetic Regulation of Longevity

Hormesis is an adaptive stress response implicated in longevity regulation. Schroeder et al. (2013) have now connected stress, epigenetic changes, and aging in yeast by showing that mitochondria-derived reactive oxygen species modulate the chromatin binding capacity of the histone demethylase Rph1p at subtelomeres, resulting in lifespan extension.