While yeast apoptosis was still a controversial issue less than 10 years ago, the efforts of many groups have revealed cell death mechanisms that resemble, in many aspects, those described for mammalian apoptosis. Here, we provide an overview of new insights on yeast apoptosis and the link with lifespan of yeast cells, based on data presented at the 6th International Meeting of Yeast Apoptosis (IMYA). Together, these data demonstrate the power and advantages of the yeast system to uncover novel cellular factors governing life and death, placing yeast at the forefront of apoptosis research.

(c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.