James Woodford at New Scientist:
Between 17 January 2023 and 19 August 2024, María Branyas Morera, of Spain, was officially the world’s oldest person, until she died aged 117 years and 168 days. To uncover the secrets of her extraordinary longevity, a team of researchers has done a deep dive into her genetics, microbiome and lifestyle.
When Morera was 116 years old, the team collected samples of her blood, saliva and stool, to analyse her genetics. “She had an exceptional genome enriched in variants in genes that are associated with enhanced lifespan in other species, such as dogs, worms and flies,” says team member Manel Esteller at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute in Barcelona, Spain.
Morera, who showed no sign of dementia, also had many gene variants that keep blood lipid levels low, protecting the heart and cognition, says Esteller. “At the same time, she was devoid of gene variants associated with the risk of pathologies such as cancer, Alzheimer’s and metabolic disorders.”
More here.
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