'194-Year-Old' World's Oldest Tortoise's Secret to Longevity Is 'Mitochondria'

Genome analysis of Aldabra giant tortoise "Jonathan"
Gene regulation remains relatively stable

Mitochondria have been identified as a possible key to the longevity of Jonathan, a 194-year-old Aldabra giant tortoise known as the world's oldest living land animal.

According to Yonhap News Agency on October 8, an international research team led by Dr. Stephen Clark of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in the United States said it had analyzed Jonathan's genome and DNA methylation patterns and found that regions of genes related to mitochondria and RNA processing showed low levels of methylation disorder. In other words, the team found that the regulation of genes important for producing energy and processing genetic information remained relatively stable despite his advanced age.

Jonathan, a 194-year-old Aldabra giant tortoise known as the world's oldest living land animal. St Helena Government. Yonhap News Agency.

The research team collected a genomic sample by swabbing the inside of Jonathan's mouth and then analyzed the DNA. Mitochondria produce ATP, the energy source needed for cellular activity. Mitochondrial function generally declines with age, but in Jonathan, mitochondrial-related genes and the regions that regulate their activity were well preserved, much like those in younger individuals. Declining mitochondrial function is considered a major cause of chronic disease and aging in older adults. The researchers hope the study will provide clues for research into the aging process and the extension of healthy lifespans. They added, however, that further research is needed to determine whether Jonathan's characteristics can be directly applied to human longevity.

"We do not yet know whether Jonathan's DNA methylation characteristics are a cause of his longevity or a result of his long life," the researchers said. "However, our findings show that longevity may not be attributable to a single 'longevity gene,' but may be linked to multiple processes that ensure genetic information is read reliably and cellular functions are maintained."

The findings were published in the scientific journal Science Advances.

Jonathan is an Aldabra giant tortoise native to the Aldabra Atoll in the Indian Ocean and currently lives on the island of St Helena in the South Atlantic. His estimated age is 194, making him more than 100 years older than the typical Aldabra giant tortoise, whose upper lifespan limit is 93.68 years. He was sent to the governor of St Helena in 1882 and has been kept there ever since. He now has impaired vision due to cataracts, but his hearing and appetite remain good. He eats fresh vegetables and is cared for by a veterinarian.

Joe Hollins, the veterinarian who has cared for Jonathan for many years, said, "There is no sign that Jonathan is slowing down. Despite losing his sense of smell and suffering significant vision loss due to cataracts, he still has a hearty appetite." Hollins added, "It is astonishing that this gentle giant has outlived every land-dwelling creature, including humans." He said, "Jonathan is in very good health. At this point, I think there is every chance he could live to 300. He may already be close to that age."

Jonathan is currently listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest tortoise ever and the oldest living land animal.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.