Interestingly, a highly significant inverse correlation between long lifespan and the percentage of mitochondrial cysteine is found in metaexaminations of genomic sequences (mitochondrial DNA) from 218 animal species (chordates and arthropods) [ 42 ], supporting the previously mentioned free radical theory of aging and point out the relevance of the vulnerability of the proteins in the organism to oxidative stress in terms of its lifespan.
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