The whale's longevity secret is curved

Scientists may have found the key of longevity after discovering the genetic genes that help decode the longevity in whale-headed whales.

For a long time, the head whale kept the longest record of life and is also one of the largest mammal mammals ever recorded. With longevity that often exceeds 200 years, they are at the top of the longevity mammal rankings. However, scientists still wonder why this species can avoid death so long, not only longevity but also healthy life, there is no disease for a long time. In a new report published in Cell Report, the researchers believe that the rapid rate of DNA repair in trillions of whale cells is a key factor for their longevity.

The fish is said to hold the key of longevity - (Photo: modumedia.com)

The head whale, scientific name Balaena mysticetus, is a dark body of whales without dorsal fins, and can grow to 20m in length, found only in the cold waters of the Arctic Sea. In this place of suckling, whales quietly live their normal lives, proliferate and prolong their lifespan thanks to mollusks. This is a model for an unimaginable natural survival, when one of the world's largest-sized species lives on one of the ocean's smallest multicellular organisms. Yet it seems that through the patience of evolution, the head of the whale's cells discovered the biological mechanism of the source of youth.

Team leader Joao Pedro de Magalhaes, a geriatrician of the University of Liverpool (UK), said his team has discovered a unique gene called PCNA , which is involved in anti-aging cells and Cancer antagonists. In the case of the arched whale, this gene has doubled when it is interpreted within the mitochondria of the cell. By copying the PCNA gene at an extremely fast rate, they allow cells in the body to better recover themselves, compensating for the harm caused by oxidation and the effects of stress factors in The process of living, which often results from diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Most mammal species died off before reaching the age of 100, so the miraculous existence of the head whale caught the attention of experts. Magalhaes is currently seeking financial support for the project to inject PCNA into mice, and see if this action improves the resistance to disease in lab animals. In addition, the first whale is the first to be genetically decoded in a large group of whales. Whale cells are of special form because their metabolic rate is slower than those of smaller animals, and this is caused by a specific gene called UCP1, which affects the function of regulating body temperature. .

In October last year, a group of Harvard University experts (USA) also announced their discovery of the whale's head gene, and the results were similar to British colleagues. Therefore, Professor Magalhaes hopes that the collected results will support people in the field of disease treatment.