Some Myotis bats can live 50 years while close relatives live just 7; sequencing eight species found longevity genes overlapping with cancer and virus defenses
- Representative imageA mouse-sized bat that lives for decades appears to have evolved some of the same biological protections that help it resist cancer and viral disease.
- Researchers comparing eight closely related Myotis species found an extraordinary range of lifespans, from about seven years in some species to nearly 50 years in others.
- Their genome analysis revealed that genes associated with longevity overlapped far more than expected with genes involved in virus interactions and cancer defence.
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- Representative imageA mouse-sized bat that lives for decades appears to have evolved some of the same biological protections that help it resist cancer and viral disease.
- Researchers comparing eight closely related Myotis species found an extraordinary range of lifespans, from about seven years in some species to nearly 50 years in others.
- Their genome analysis revealed that genes associated with longevity overlapped far more than expected with genes involved in virus interactions and cancer defence.
Sources: Times of India