By Annette Pinder
A recent Medium.com article by Dublin, Ireland master’s student Pritam Laskar discussed the evolution of lifespan over the years, in which he noted that the average person is expected to live to 80 years. This reflects an increase in lifespan due to improvements in science and technology, including the key role of genes.
Researchers at Wellcome Sanger Institute in the UK found that the speed at which gene changes build up in the DNA of a species is a main factor of longevity, and that those with a slower rate of changes usually live longer. The scientists found that high yearly rate of gene changes in mice is 796, which accounts for their short life span of just 3.7 years. Humans, however, have a rate of about 47 changes per year, which accounts for their much longer life span of 80 years. The researchers say adjusting these rates in mice might help them live longer. This contradicts old scientific notions of a direct link between an animal’s size and life span. For example, giraffes and mole rats both have life spans of about 24 and 25 years due to their gene changes.
Laskar says the work of these researchers highlights the complex relationship of genetic factors and their impact on the life span across species, underscoring the importance of genetic stability and change rates in determining longevity in various species. He says understanding the biological basics that control life spans opens new paths for scientific exploration into possibly adjusting these genetic factors to further increase the life span of all species, including humans.
Learn more at www.medium.com and at www.sanger.ac.uk.
