Genetic Study Links Sloths' 30-Million-Year Jumping Genes to Slow Metabolism
Updated
Updated · ScienceAlert · Jun 22
Genetic Study Links Sloths' 30-Million-Year Jumping Genes to Slow Metabolism
2 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · Jun 22
Summary
An international team found transposons tied to mitochondria and metabolism in two-toed sloths, offering a genetic explanation for how the animals sustain the slowest metabolism of any mammal.
Several of those 'jumping genes' appear to have been conserved for about 30 million years, originating after sloths split from anteaters and armadillos and possibly creating backup pathways for sluggish mitochondrial function.
Researchers say that tolerance for such DNA changes is striking because transposon activity in humans can contribute to diseases including cancer, leaving the exact biological role of the retained sequences still unresolved.
The BMC Biology study suggests sloth cells could become a natural model for low-energy states relevant to diabetes, neurodegeneration, aging, tissue preservation, critical care and even long-duration space travel.