St. Helena Tourism
A giant tortoise called Jonathan reinforces what we know from humans about healthy aging, say scientists, only the difference is that Jon is almost 200.
Researchers have been conducting genetic tests on Jonathan who, at an estimated 194-years-old, is believed to be the world’s oldest living land animal.
They say their findings suggest that it’s not just down to good genes, but a lack of genetic wear and tear that have kept him going for nearly 2 centuries.
The study pinpointed 287 unique gene variants that reduce the usual effects of aging in Jonathan, who was born 5 years before Queen Victoria succeeded to the throne.
Jonathan, an Aldabra giant tortoise, is believed to have hatched in 1832, making him a contemporary of Charles Darwin and Charles Dickens. He has lived most of his life on the island of St. Helena, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean, at the governor’s mansion.
He arrived on St. Helena already fully grown from the Seychelles as a gift.
The giant tortoises of the Galapagos and Seychelles islands are the last survivors of animals that used to dominate the ecology of many of the world’s islands.
Regarding his genes, researchers explained that the 287 identified gene variants control key processes in the body, including repair of DNA damage, reducing inflammation, regulating insulin, and suppressing cancer.
Researchers also compared Jonathan’s epigenome, with those of younger giant tortoises of the same species. They found the switches controlling Jonathan’s DNA repair and metabolism genes were remarkably “very similar” to those in his younger relatives.
Compared to the genome, the epigenome incorporates changes in the expression of genes in response to life stressors, and is a key contributor to the ageing process.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, marks the first time the epigenome of a giant tortoise has been investigated.
It was led by scientists at longevity research non-profit organization Kallel, who say that cracking the genetic code of a multi-century life offers “unprecedented” insights into extreme lifespan.
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“We found that the gene regulators involved in energy production and DNA repair have remained incredibly stable in Jonathan over almost two centuries,” said Cambridge University scientist Dr. Justin Gerlach, who was involved in the study.
“There are few creatures that could tell us more about ageing than the giant tortoises of the Galapagos and Seychelles islands.”
Dr. Gerlach has studied the ecology and conservation of giant tortoises for several decades, but this study is the first in which he’s studied their long lives.
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“Nature has already solved the puzzle of ageing in remarkable ways, and Jonathan’s genome provides a blueprint for cellular resilience,” said study senior author Dr. Stephen Clark, founder of Kallel. “Our goal is to take these evolutionary insights and immediately translate them into practical, affordable treatments for everyday people.”
“Aging is the greatest risk factor for nearly every chronic disease we face, and through the generosity of philanthropic partners, we can democratize access to longevity medicine.”
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