DNA methylation rates scale with maximum lifespan across mammals

Crofts, S. J. C.; Latorre-Crespo, E.; Chandra, T.

doi:10.1101/2023.05.15.540689

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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2023.05.15.540689

DNA methylation rates scale with maximum lifespan across mammals

Crofts, S. J. C.·Latorre-Crespo, E.·Chandra, T.

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Abstract

DNA methylation rates have previously been found to broadly correlate with maximum lifespan in mammals, yet no precise relationship has been observed. We developed a statistically robust framework to compare methylation rates at conserved age-related sites across mammals. We found that methylation rates negatively scale with maximum lifespan in both blood and skin. The emergence of explicit scaling suggests that methylation rates are - or are linked to - an evolutionary constraint on maximum lifespan acting across diverse mammalian lineages.

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Crofts, S. J. C., Latorre-Crespo, E., Chandra, T.. 2023-05-15. DNA methylation rates scale with maximum lifespan across mammals. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.05.15.540689

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