First epigenetic clock in bats allows for accurate aging of wild mammals
Researchers from the University of Maryland and UCLA have found that DNA taken from tissue samples could be used to accurately estimate the age of bats living in the wild. The study showed that age-related DNA changes in long-lived species differ from those of short-lived ones, particularly in regions near genes linked to cancer and immunity. This study provides new insights into the causes of age-related declines.
This is the first paper that shows how animals in the wilderness can be aged accurately using an epigenetic timer, which predicts their age based upon specific changes to DNA. This research provides biologists with a powerful tool to study animals in the field. The results also provide insights into the possible mechanisms that may be behind the extraordinary longevity of bat species. The study will appear in the Nature Communications journal on March 12, 2021.
Gerald Wilkinson is a professor at UMD who is also the co-author of the study. \”We hoped these epigenetic differences would be predictive age,\” he said. Now that we have data, we can take a small sample from an animal in the wild to determine its age. This allows us to ask questions we could not before.
Source:
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-03/uom-aao030921.php
