Ancient DNA reveals why some people live to be over 100

Published 3 hours ago
Source: metro.co.uk
Your DNA may be the reason you’re destined to have a shorter lifespan. New research reveals that Italian centenarians (those who live to 100 and beyond) have a higher proportion of DNA inherited from ancient hunter-gatherers compared to the general population. This follows previous studies which have shown that ‘good genes’ inherited from ancestors, along with other factors such as the environment and daily habits, help people live longer. (Picture: Getty)
For the study, the researchers analysed the genomes of 333 centenarians and nearly 700 healthy adults aged around 50, and then compared them to the DNA of individuals with the ancient genomes of four groups that make up modern Italy. The groups are descendants of Western Hunter-Gatherers, the original inhabitants of Europe after the Ice Age, as well as Anatolian Neolithic farmers, Bronze Age nomadic groups and ancient groups from the Iranian and Caucasus regions. (Picture: Getty)
They found that people who reached the age of 100 tended to have more Western Hunter-Gatherer (WHG) DNA than the average person. The study sampled Italians with a mix of DNA from all four ancient groups but only the WHG genetic material was found to be linked to longevity. They found that with every small increase in hunter-gatherer DNA, a person’s chances of becoming a centenarian rose by 38%. (Picture: Getty)
The researchers say that women were more than twice as likely to reach 100 years of age if they had a higher proportion of this ancient DNA compared to men, and suspect that these genes were likely favoured during the last Ice Age, when our ancestors had to survive extremely harsh conditions with limited food resources. Therefore, some of these genes could be helping improve metabolism to process food more efficiently and protect the body from age-related stress. (Picture: Getty)
The study was published in the journal GeroScience, and the researchers wrote: ‘We showed a greater contribution from Western Hunter-Gatherer-related ancestry to Italian centenarians, thus suggesting that this pre-Neolithic genetic component, which has been linked to population shifts occurring within Europe after the Last Glacial Maximum, could be beneficial for longevity today.’ They added: ‘We propose that the variants involved in this trait [longevity] may have been introduced into the Italian gene pool at a very ancient time.’ (Picture: Getty)
The ancient group of people lived between 9,000 and 14,000 years ago. They were the post–Ice Age inhabitants of Europe and were known for their dark skin, light eyes and robust builds. Their lifestyle centred on hunting and gathering diverse plant and animal resources like roots, hazelnuts and deer in a warming climate. So far, no other genetic ancestries appeared to be linked to living a longer life. (Picture: Getty)
However, the researchers say that the reasoning behind the findings will have to be studied further as it is unclear how this DNA has an effect on longevity. One of the most famous hunter-gatherers is Cheddar Man, whose skeleton was discovered at Gough’s Cave in Somerset in 1903. Cheddar Man, who lived around 10,000 years ago, is the oldest almost complete skeleton of our species, Homo sapiens, ever found in Britain. (Picture: Getty)

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