Inhibiting a common enzyme found in all mammals, including humans, has been shown to extend the lifespan of flies and worms, suggesting it could be a promising new mechanism for anti-aging therapies to target.

RNA polymerase III (Pol III) is an enzyme known to be essential for cell growth, and it is found within almost all cells across all mammals. Researchers from University College London, the University of Kent and the University of Groningen started examining the enzyme’s involvement in aging after the immune-suppressing drug rapamycin, known to inhibit Pol III, was seen to extend the lifespan of several animal models including mice.