Sirtuins in aging and age-related disease.

Sirtuins have been the focus of intense scrutiny since the discovery of Sir2 as a yeast longevity factor. Functioning as either deacetylases or ADP ribosylases, Sirtuins are regulated by the cofactor NAD and thus may serve as sensors of the metabolic state of the cell and organism. Here we examine the roles of Sirtuins in diverse eukaryotic species, with special emphasis on their links to aging and age-related diseases including cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders.