Week 1: Jan 1–9

The Genomic Longevity of the Tuatara

Herpetology in early 2022 focused on the “living fossil” of New Zealand, the Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus). Research explored its unique immune system genes and extreme longevity, revealing how its DNA repair mechanisms allow it to thrive for over a century, providing clues for aging research in other vertebrates.

• Nature: The tuatara genome reveals ancient features of amniotes (2020, but analysis continued into early 2022)
• Genome sequencing of an archaic reptile both answers and asks questions (2021)