World's oldest living people's gene has no longevity secrets

A new research has revealed the whole-genome sequences of the world's oldest living people.

The researchers performed whole-genome sequencing on 17 supercentenarians to explore the genetic basis underlying extreme human longevity.

Supercentenarians are the world's oldest people, living beyond 110 years of age. Seventy-four are alive worldwide, with twenty-two living in the United States.

Researchers found out that one supercentenarian carries a variant associated with a heart condition, which had little or no effect on his/her health, as this person lived over 110 years. The authors added that it is recommended by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics to report the results to this individual as an incidental finding.

Authors didn't find significant association with extreme longevity, the authors have publicly published the genomes, making them available as a resource for future studies on the genetic basis of extreme longevity.

The study is published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.