Summarized by Masters of Longevity from Singularity Hub.
A science feature explaining genomic and epigenetic research into an exceptionally long-lived tortoise, inviting readers curious about longevity biology.
Key Takeaways
- Researchers reconstructed about 95% of the tortoise's genome using a younger conspecific to fill sequencing gaps.
- 287 genes unique to the 194-year-old tortoise included many linked to DNA repair and telomere maintenance.
- Mitochondria-related DNA methylation patterns remained youthful, resembling those of a five-year-old Aldabra tortoise.
