Oxidative damage contributes to loss of nervous system function in age as well as a result of degenerative disease. But how exactly can oxidation impair neuronal function? In the worm C. elegans, this study shows that the potassium channel KVS-1 is subject to oxidation at a particular cysteine residue. Mutation of this residue led to preservation of chemosensation in aging worms.
- Shi-Qing Cai
- Federico Sesti
