TRIVALENT AND DIVALENT CATIONS AS ADMINISTRABLE AGENTS FOR INCREASED PROCESSIVITY AND IMPROVED FIDELITY OF REVERSE TRANSCRIPTASE IN TELOMERASE AND IN NUCLEIC ACID POLYMERASES
A novel method of increasing longevity by improving the processivity, fidelity, and activity of the telomerase enzyme is provided by agents which introduce trivalent cations such as scandium 3+ into the nuclei of cells, whereupon there occurs substitution of the trivalent cation into the place of the natural divalent cations such as magnesium or calcium or manganese. This substitution optimizes the adherence of the telomerase enzyme to its nucleic acid template with the result that cellular replicative senescence is delayed and deferred in various cell types. The trivalent cations can be introduced topically, orally as a food additive or supplement, or as a medication for oral, intramuscular, intrathecal or intravenous administration.