The genomics of exceptional longevity in rockfishes refine genetic foundations of human lifespan variation

Abstract

Longevity is a defining, heritable trait that varies dramatically between species. To resolve the genetic regulation of this trait, we have mined genomic variation in rockfishes, ranging in longevity from 11 to over 205 years. Shifts in rockfish longevity occurred multiple times independently, and in a short evolutionary time frame, thus empowering convergence analyses. Our analyses reveal a common network of genes under convergent restricted evolution in long-lived lineages, encompassing established aging regulators such as insulin-signaling, yet also identify flavonoid (aryl-hydrocarbon) metabolism as a novel pathway modulating longevity. Further, these genes were used to refine human longevity GWAS, identifying the aryl-hydrocarbon metabolism pathway to be significantly associated with the 99th percentile of human longevity, independently validating its importance and conservation. This evolutionary intersection highlights a novel, conserved genetic architecture that associates with the evolution of longevity across vertebrates and provides actionable targets for research into lifespan and healthspan modulation.

Phylogenomic analysis of the Lake Kronotskoe species flock of Dolly Varden charr reveals genetic and developmental signatures of sympatric radiation

“…Targeted capture allows cross-clade sequence comparisons of species and facilitates analysis of genetic variance within a lineage. We have applied similar methodology to assess variation in Belonifomes (29), rockfishes (30), and notothenioids (31) allowing for clade-wide analysis of genomic variation.…”