Aging, genetics, and the environment: potential of errors introduced into genetic information transfer by metal ions.

Metal ions, which are introduced into living organisms from the environment, are required in every aspect of genetic information transfer. However, the "wrong" metal ion, or even the "right" metal ion in the wrong concentration, can produce deleterious information transfer effects. Metal ions react with nucleic acids in many different ways, and virtually all of these reactions effect major changes in the structure of the nucleic acids. Cellular metal ion concentrations change with age. The effects of such concentration changes on genetic information transfer suggest the possibility that metal ions can influence the aging process. A specific example of such influence is the accumulation in brain cells of aluminum ions, which may have a relationship to Alzheimer's disease.