Fig 1. Inactivation of telomerase accelerates yeast replicative aging, and reintroduction of telomerase recovers lifespan.

(A) Telomere structure of tlc1Δ Type I and Type II survivors were examined by telomere Southern blot (left) and the replicative lifespan of these strains were determined (right). Statistical significance was determined by a Wilcoxon rank sum test and significant differences were stated for p < 0.05. The statistical data of all the lifespan experiments in this study were shown in S2 Table. (B) After integration of TLC1 genes, tlc1Δ Type I or Type II strains were continuously passaged and cells at different time point were subjected to telomere Southern blot analyses. The numbers above each lane indicate the numbers of restreaks after TLC1 reintroduction. (C) and (D) Lifespan analysis of tlc1Δ Type I (C) or Type II (D) survivor cells at the 10th restreak after TLC1 reintroduction.