At approximately 194 years of age, Jonathan the tortoise has survived about a century beyond the typical maximum lifespan for his species. A recent paper featured in Science Advances has mapped out his genome and methylome, bringing some fascinating biological insights to light.
When evaluated alongside other giant tortoises, Jonathan was found to carry distinct genetic variants throughout the majority of his aging pathways. Furthermore, researchers noted that the promoters for genes responsible for RNA processing and mitochondrial energy exhibited low-entropy, or low-noise, methylation.
According to the authors of the study, the exact regulation of these specific genes might play a crucial role in achieving such an extended lifespan. However, they are careful to point out that since this research is based on a single tortoise, the findings provide a promising lead rather than definitive proof.
http://science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adw8887
When evaluated alongside other giant tortoises, Jonathan was found to carry distinct genetic variants throughout the majority of his aging pathways. Furthermore, researchers noted that the promoters for genes responsible for RNA processing and mitochondrial energy exhibited low-entropy, or low-noise, methylation.
According to the authors of the study, the exact regulation of these specific genes might play a crucial role in achieving such an extended lifespan. However, they are careful to point out that since this research is based on a single tortoise, the findings provide a promising lead rather than definitive proof.
http://science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adw8887