Convergent Amino-Acid Substitutions Link Primate Longevity to Male-Fertility Genes
Maximum lifespan varies widely among mammals, but the genomic basis of this variation remains incompletely understood. We used body-mass-corrected longevity and a phylogenetically informed phenotype-shift framework to compare 126 primate species, selecting seven long-lived and six short-lived species for convergent amino-acid substitution analysis. Stringent pooling across species identified…
A recent study has revealed a link between primate longevity and genes associated with male fertility. Researchers analyzed the genomic data of 126 primate species, focusing on seven long-lived and six short-lived species. By applying a phylogenetically informed approach and examining body-mass-corrected longevity, they identified 1,068 recurrent amino-acid substitutions in 934 genes.
This analysis revealed a significant enrichment of genes related to mammal-wide longevity candidates, with 226 genes shared across species compared to the expected 120 by chance (a 1.88-fold enrichment; P = 1.16 x 10exp-22).
Functional analysis of these genes detected 17 significant terms, with the strongest evidence pointing to male infertility and decreased male fertility. The findings suggest that primate sampling can uncover a non-random component of the broader mammalian longevity signal. This research suggests that male reproductive biology could be a promising area for further investigation into the evolution of lifespan.
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