Genome sequencing reveals insights into physiology and longevity of the naked mole rat

In October 2011, Prof. Xiaodong Fang, Scientific Advisor of the company, in collaboration with an international team from New York University, University of Rochester, BGI-Shenzhen, University of Copenhagen, and other institutions, published a groundbreaking study in Nature. The team accomplished, for the first time, the whole-genome sequencing and in-depth analysis of the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber), a long-lived rodent, successfully revealing the genetic basis underlying the extreme biological characteristics of this "non-aging creature."

The core breakthrough of this research lies in the unprecedented discovery of numerous unique molecular adaptations related to cancer resistance and longevity in the naked mole-rat genome. Despite significant oxidative stress in its body, the proteome showed no age-associated increase in oxidative damage or ubiquitination—directly challenging the traditional theory that "aging, cancer, and redox homeostasis are interconnected." Genomic analysis identified positive selection on the TERF1 gene associated with telomere stability, as well as a unique p16INK4a/pALT cell cycle regulatory pathway. These features collectively constitute the "double insurance" mechanism for cancer resistance and delayed aging in the naked mole-rat.

This achievement not only provides a novel evolutionary perspective for understanding mammalian longevity mechanisms, but also, for the first time, establishes the naked mole-rat as a model organism for studying aging and cancer, holding significant fundamental scientific and clinical translational value for developing anti-aging and anti-cancer therapeutic strategies.