The biological evolution of certain living beings has opened up a new avenue: understanding why and how we age. Organisms that are resistant to extreme conditions, such as the Deinococcus radiodurans or Arthrobacter agilis bacteria (also known as snow bacteria), are able to survive environmental stress. This is thanks to biological mechanisms that are naturally present in these bacteria, optimised by billions of years of evolution – the source of their resiliency and longevity. These examples of the ability to adapt and survive in extreme environments inspired Prof. Radman’s research, comparing this extreme resistance to organic ageing in humans.
Over 40 years of research led to the emergence of a new scientific paradigm: protecting the proteome as the key to longevity. Partnering with the NAOS research teams enabled the molecules of interest at the heart of snow bacteria to be identified: bacterioruberins. They have a unique action mechanism, enabling them to act at the source of ageing. As well as being powerful antioxidants, they have chaperone-like properties, physically protecting the proteome (all the structural and functional proteins in the body) from external attack. In particular, these bacterioruberins protect skin proteins from a specific and irreversible form of damage: carbonylation, which causes premature ageing.
Protecting the proteome therefore appears to be key to cell longevity. A patented biotechnology has been developed based on bacterioruberins extracted from snow bacteria, providing both “physical shield” protection, with its chaperone-like activity, and “biological shield” protection, with its antioxidant activity, opening up a new way of preserving the skin’s youthful appearance over the long term.
