Bat Genome Study Links Longevity With Cancer and Virus-Defense Adaptations

A comparative genome study of eight closely related bat species has identified genetic and cellular patterns associated with unusually long life, cancer resistance, and antiviral defenses. The research focused on the genus Myotis, a large bat group that includes species with sharply different lifespans despite their close relationships.

Bats are notable exceptions to a common mammalian pattern linking small body size and high metabolic rate with shorter life. Many bat species are small, metabolically active, and nevertheless long-lived. Their lifespans also vary substantially between neighboring species, making the group useful for studying how aging-related traits may evolve.

For the study, researchers generated cell lines and near-complete genome assemblies for eight Myotis species. They then used genome-wide screens for positive selection, examined structural variation, and conducted functional experiments in primary cells. These approaches were used to look for adaptations related to longevity, cancer resistance, and interactions with viruses.

The analysis found distinct patterns in how bats have adapted to DNA and RNA viruses compared with other mammals. Proteins that interact with DNA viruses showed an over-representation of positive selection across the bat genomes. Proteins involved in RNA-virus interactions, meanwhile, showed elevated rates of copy-number variation, referring to differences in the number of copies of particular genetic sequences.

The researchers also examined Myotis-specific duplications of EIF2AK2, also known as PKR, an immune factor. They identified multiple ancient copy-number polymorphisms shared across species, suggesting that variation in this region has persisted through the evolutionary history of the group.

Longevity in Myotis species was additionally associated with positive selection in cancer-related pathways. In primary cells from the long-lived Myotis lucifugus, the researchers observed a distinctive response to DNA damage. The study’s overall interpretation is that bat longevity and immunity may be connected through adaptations that affect both viral defense and diseases associated with aging.

The findings do not demonstrate that any of these genetic features extend human lifespan or constitute a treatment for aging. They come from comparative genomics and experiments in bat cells, making them an investigation of evolutionary biology and preclinical mechanisms. The distant objective of this type of research is to identify ideas that might eventually contribute to longevity therapies, but the source describes that path as a long one and notes that progress has so far largely remained at the investigative stage.