The bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) is estimated to live over 200 years and is possibly the longest-living mammal. These animals should possess protective molecular adaptations relevant to age-related diseases, particularly cancer. An international research team with Danish participation has reported the sequencing and comparative analysis of the bowhead whale genome and two transcriptomes from different populations.

Their analysis identifies genes under positive selection and bowhead-specific mutations in genes linked to cancer and aging. In addition, they identify gene gain and loss involving genes associated with DNA repair, cell-cycle regulation, cancer, and ageing.

Their results expand our understanding of the evolution of mammalian longevity and suggest possible players involved in adaptive genetic changes conferring cancer resistance. The research team also found potentially relevant changes in genes related to additional processes, including thermoregulation, sensory perception, dietary adaptations, and immune response.

The genome sequencing will now be followed by functional and structural studies of selected genes and proteins to assess the biological effect of the whale-specific genetic variations. The work primarily involves basic research, but the sequence data from the bowhead whale are a valuable resource that scientists hope can be used in the medical sciences in the future.

To facilitate research in this long-lived species, the research team has made their data available online (http://www.bowhead-whale.org).

The scientific article has been published in the internationally recognised journal Cell Reports.

More information

Associate Professor Bo Thomsen
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics
Aarhus University, Denmark
8715 7913 – bo.thomsen@mbg.au.dk