Jonathan the giant tortoise: 194 years old and genetically fit as a juvenile
Some reptile news stays with you, and the story of Jonathan is one of them. The Aldabra giant tortoise lives on St Helena, is said to have hatched in 1832, and according to a study in Science Advances is the oldest known land animal in the world. 144 years ago he was brought to the island in the South Atlantic from the Seychelles as a gift for the governor of the time.
A team including researchers from the University of Cambridge and the Kallel Foundation has now examined genetic samples. They lured Jonathan with food until he opened his mouth wide enough, then took swabs from the inside of his cheek. The authorities did not permit blood samples, which I can well understand as someone who looks after animals. The samples were compared with four other tortoises, including a juvenile and a twelve-year-old, all kept in human care.
The surprise is that the epigenome, the chemical marks on DNA that control which genes are active, looked very similar to that of the much younger animals. Normally it changes with age. Co-author Justin Gerlach says the regulators for energy production and DNA repair have remained remarkably stable in Jonathan over almost two centuries. The team also identified 287 gene variants that may slow ageing by repairing DNA damage, reducing inflammation or suppressing cancer.
What pleases me most is that a single, well-cared-for animal has contributed to research through gentle swabs rather than blood samples. Whether any of this applies to humans remains open. For anyone who keeps tortoises, it is a fine reminder of how long these animals can stay with us.
Source: DER SPIEGEL
A team including researchers from the University of Cambridge and the Kallel Foundation has now examined genetic samples. They lured Jonathan with food until he opened his mouth wide enough, then took swabs from the inside of his cheek. The authorities did not permit blood samples, which I can well understand as someone who looks after animals. The samples were compared with four other tortoises, including a juvenile and a twelve-year-old, all kept in human care.
The surprise is that the epigenome, the chemical marks on DNA that control which genes are active, looked very similar to that of the much younger animals. Normally it changes with age. Co-author Justin Gerlach says the regulators for energy production and DNA repair have remained remarkably stable in Jonathan over almost two centuries. The team also identified 287 gene variants that may slow ageing by repairing DNA damage, reducing inflammation or suppressing cancer.
What pleases me most is that a single, well-cared-for animal has contributed to research through gentle swabs rather than blood samples. Whether any of this applies to humans remains open. For anyone who keeps tortoises, it is a fine reminder of how long these animals can stay with us.
Source: DER SPIEGEL
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