Specialized Ribosomes in Human Dermal Fibroblast Senescence

The study investigated the impact of specialized ribosomes on the aging process of human dermal fibroblasts. It was found that senescent fibroblasts displayed increased protein synthesis and larger nucleoli. The researchers used Ribometh-seq to measure rRNA methylation and discovered variations in methylation patterns between senescent, proliferating, and quiescent cells. While most rRNA sites were consistently methylated across all states, some exhibited changes in methylation in senescent and quiescent cells. These methylation changes were linked to the expression of snoRNAs, which are responsible for rRNA modifications. The team is exploring how snoRNA depletion affects cell physiology and ribosome function. The findings indicate that even minor alterations in rRNA can significantly influence cell behavior and lead to the development of specialized ribosomes.