Key points from article :
Searching the genomes of centenarians these genes are most clearly associated with lifespan.
20 per cent of lifespan is genetic, possibly more for living to be extremely old.
Variations are common in the general population, but centenarians seem to have fewer “bad” variants.
Discovered genes have different functions:
1. determines blood group
2. regulates cellular life cycles
3. involved in how the immune system recognises the body’s own cells
4. has been shown to extend lifespan in fruit flies
The studies were published in the PLOS Genetics and Human Genetics journals.
