The new research zoomed in on Jonathan's genes, as well as the chemical tags that sit on top of DNA molecules, known as "epigenetic markers." These markers help control which genes are activated and to what degree. The analysis finds that Jonathan's genes associated with mitochondrial function are in great shape, epigenetically speaking, which suggests that they've played a big role in the tortoise's success.
Clark and colleagues published their findings Wednesday (Oct. 7) in the journal Science Advances.
Decoding Jonathan's secrets to long life
"I didn't want to be the doctor that killed Jonathan," Clark told Live Science. Hollins collected samples via cheek swab instead.
Clark "had to go back and beg" for permission to collect more data, he said. The vet then sent cheek scrape samples, which are collected with a slightly different tool than cheek swabs. This time, the DNA was in fact from Jonathan.
The team found that, compared to Tank and Lonesome George, Jonathan carried 287 unique variants of genes that had previously been linked to aging-related pathways. These included genes involved in DNA repair and the function of telomeres — the protective tips at the end of chromosomes that tend to shorten with age.
The researchers also looked at epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation, which is when a chemical tag called a methyl group binds the DNA. Certain patterns of DNA methylation can function as a "clock" in that they reflect an organism's biological age; scientists have recently harnessed these patterns in the study of human aging. In this case, the team compared the DNA methylation across Jonathan's genome to that of young and old Aldabra tortoises.
Researchers compared DNA from Jonathan (pictured) to that of other Aldabra giant tortoises. (Image credit: Kevin Gepford, CC BY-SA 4.0)Mitochondria produce energy that cells need to function properly, repair themselves and reduce further damage to DNA. "Keeping the entropy low in these mitochondrial genes, or keeping pristine mitochondria, is likely to be a contributor to longevity," Clark said.
Jonathan's full genetic profile can't be known until after the tortoise's death, when researchers can collect DNA from more tissues, said Vincent Lynch, a professor of biology at the University at Buffalo, who was not involved with the study.
Related stories"Some organs are more susceptible to different diseases of old age than other ones, and that happens because mutations accumulate over time," he told Live Science. "We would ideally like to know what those mutations are in those specific tissues."
More experiments are needed to determine whether these mitochondrial genes actually play a role in longevity across all Aldabra tortoises, let alone in other animals, or if Jonathan is just an outlier.
"Maybe Jonathan is just really good at being old," Lynch said.
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