t D NA ▁transfer ▁rates ▁to ▁the ▁nucle us ▁exhib ited ▁an ▁extended ▁C LS , ▁chron ological ▁life ▁span ▁ ▁which ▁could ▁possibly ▁be ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁effect ▁of ▁NUM T ▁on ▁nuclear ▁processes ▁including ▁DNA ▁rep lication , ▁recom bin ation , ▁and ▁repair ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁gene ▁trans cription . ▁The ▁effect ▁of ▁NUM T ▁on ▁the ▁higher ▁E uk ary otic ▁organ isms ▁was ▁investig ated ▁by ▁Car o ▁and ▁his ▁team m ates ▁in ▁the ▁r ats ▁as ▁a ▁model ▁organ ism . ▁Using ▁a ▁real - time ▁PC R ▁quant ification , ▁in ▁situ ▁hy brid ization ▁of ▁m t D NA ▁to ▁n D NA , ▁and ▁comparison ▁of ▁young ▁and ▁old ▁r ats , ▁Car o ▁and ▁his ▁crew ▁not ▁only ▁could ▁determine ▁the ▁high ▁concentration ▁of ▁cy to chrome ▁ox id ase ▁III ▁and ▁ 1 6 S ▁r R NA ▁from ▁m t D NA ▁in ▁both ▁young ▁and ▁old ▁r ats , ▁but ▁they ▁also ▁could ▁find ▁out ▁the ▁increase ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁mit och ond rial ▁sequences ▁in ▁n D NA ▁as ▁the ▁rat ▁gets ▁older . ▁Thus , ▁based ▁on ▁these ▁find ings , ▁mit och ond ria ▁can ▁be ▁a ▁major ▁trigger ▁of ▁ag ing , ▁but ▁the ▁final ▁target ▁could ▁also ▁be ▁the ▁nucle us . ▁ ▁Can cer : ▁The ▁most ▁dread ful ▁impact ▁of ▁NUM T ▁insert ion ▁happens ▁when ▁the ▁m t D NA ▁is ▁inserted ▁into ▁the ▁regul atory ▁region ▁or ▁nuclear ▁struct