Sequencing Giant Tortoise Genomes in Search of Determinants of Longevity

Sequencing notably long-lived species has produced a number of interesting findings regarding the large variations in longevity between species. Long-lived species tend to exhibit one or more of exceptional DNA repair, exceptional cancer suppression mechanisms, exceptional regenerative and tissue maintenance capacity, exceptional control over inflammation, or the like. This short list is probably just scratching the surface, even given the great diversity of specific mechanisms in each category. For each of these discovered mechanisms it remains a question mark as to whether or not there is any way to safely port them over to humans, or whether they merely offer pointers to the areas of our biochemistry that researchers might prioritize when it comes to the development of rejuvenation therapies. Comparative genomic analyses leverage the mechanisms of natural selection to find genes and biochemical pathways related to complex traits and processes. Multiple works have used these techniques with the genomes of long-lived mammals to shed light on the signalling and metabolic networks that might play a role in regulating age-related conditions. Similar studies on unrelated longevous organisms might unveil novel evolutionary strategies and genetic determinants of ageing in different environments. In this regard, giant tortoises constitute one of the few groups of vertebrates with an exceptional longevity: in excess of 100 years according to some estimates. In this...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs