Maximum lifespan and brain size in mammals are associated with gene family size expansion related to immune system functions
Mammals exhibit an unusual variation in their maximum lifespan potential, measured as the longest recorded longevity of any individual in a species. Evidence suggests that lifespan increases follow expansion in brain size relative to body mass. Here, we found significant gene family size expansions associated with maximum lifespan potential and relative brain size but not in gestation time, age of sexual maturity, and body mass in 46 mammalian species. Extended lifespan is associated with expanding gene families enriched in immune system functions. Our results suggest an association between gene duplication in immune-related gene families and the evolution of longer lifespans in mammals. These findings explore the genomic features linked with the evolution of lifespan in mammals and its association with life story and morphological traits.
Authors
- Zhidan Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7541-0157)
- Jimena Monzón‐Sandoval (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4190-2188)
- Humberto Gutiérrez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5021-8636)
- Araxi O. Urrutia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9011-8675)
- Stephen J. Bush (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9341-2562)
- Karina Díaz-Barba (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4666-9447)
- Diego Cortez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0654-6349)
- Alejandro González‐Voyer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5072-1688)
- Paola Cornejo‐Páramo
- Huseyin Kilili (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4160-5888)
- Tamás Székely (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2093-0056)
- Sergio Ancona (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4595-1953)
- Benjamín Padilla‐Morales (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7719-4072)
- Atahualpa Castillo-Morales (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9733-6923)
- Evangelos Mourkas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7411-4743)
- Orsolya Vincze (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5789-2124)
- Lu Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1083-9729)
- Alin P. Acuña-Alonzo
- Mathieu Giraudeau
Institutions
- Uppsala University (SE)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- University of Debrecen (HU)
- Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México (MX)
- Sichuan University (CN)
- Babeș-Bolyai University (RO)
- LIttoral ENvironnement et Sociétés (FR)
- National Institute of Genomic Medicine (MX)
- UK Dementia Research Institute (GB)
- HUN-REN Centre for Ecological Research (HU)
- Instituto de Medicina Genómica (ES)
- University of Bath (GB)
- La Rochelle Université (FR)
- Xi'an Jiaotong University (CN)
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (MX)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2025-04-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98786-3
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Genetics, Aging, and Longevity in Model Organisms
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 1.91
Funders
- University of Bath
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Hungarian Scientific Research Fund
- Conseil Régional Aquitaine
- Natural Environment Research Council
- Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México