Scientists have sequenced the genome & methylome of Jonathan, a 194-yr-old giant tortoise who may be the oldest living terrestrial individual on the planet. Due to health concerns & his iconic status on St. Helena, blood draw wasn’t possible, so they made do with buccal scrapes & saliva samples.🐢🧬🤩🧪
Epigenetic insights into extreme longevity in the world’s oldest terrestrial animal, Jonathan
Aldabra giant tortoises (Aldabrachelys gigantea) are exceptionally long-lived. We sequenced the genome and methylome of Jonathan, a 194-year-old Aldabra, to explore the molecular basis of his longevit...
science.org