Young Rps9 D95N mice were indistinguishable from WT littermates, but long-term follow-up revealed a notable premature aging phenotype beginning at about 9 months of age, consisting of hair loss, graying, kyphosis, chest deformation, hunchback postures, eye cataracts, and poor body condition (Fig. 2, A to D). This evidence concerns the gene RPS9 and cataract.