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First genome sequence reported for Jonathan, the 194-year-old giant tortoise

Science Advances describes the Aldabra giant tortoise as the oldest known living land animal.

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Dorsal scute of an Aldabra giant tortoise shell. Recent longevity studies have used comparative genomic analysis to reveal gene markers with the potential to slow aging and inhibit cancer in long-lived species. Vaisvil et al. report the first genome sequence of the 194-year-old Aldabra giant tortoise Jonathan, the oldest known living land animal. DNA methylome analysis showed that comparatively lower-entropy regions in Jonathan’s methylome were linked to higher-fidelity gene transcription and more efficient DNA repair, energy production, and RNA processing. These findings support a model for aging where efficient energy production supports robust DNA repair, thus preserving genomic integrity and potentially contributing to improved longevity.

Credit: Stephen Clark

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Science Advances says researchers have reported the first genome sequence of Jonathan, a 194-year-old Aldabra giant tortoise it describes as the oldest known living land animal.

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