Ancient Greenland Shark’s DNA May Unlock the Secret to Human Longevity

An international team of researchers has made a groundbreaking discovery: the DNA of the elusive Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus), the longest‑living vertebrate known to science, may unlock clues to extending healthy human life.

The findings, first published in 2024, promise to open new frontiers in ageing research—with implications that reach far beyond marine biology.

The setting for this discovery spans the high‑latitudes of the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans, where Greenland sharks roam the icy deep.

In one key capture expedition near the coast of Greenland, scientists collected tissue samples from a large female shark, which was then released back into its frigid habitat.

Using these samples, the team sequenced the shark’s genome—revealing a trove of genetic material that offers a fresh window into extreme longevity.

At a press event held in Jena, Germany in September 2024, lead computational biologist Steve Hoffmann of the Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute explained, “The Greenland shark’s genome is a quintessential step for understanding the molecular mechanisms of aging in this exceptionally long‑lived species.

”  His colleague, neurobiologist Alessandro Cellerino (SNS Pisa), added: “Exploring the genetic underpinnings of the huge lifespan diversity across the tree of life offers an entirely new perspective for investigating the mechanisms enabling exceptional longevity.”

The Greenland shark is no ordinary fish.

Scientists estimate that some individuals may live for nearly 400 years.

A landmark 2016 study used radiocarbon dating of eye‑lens proteins to estimate one female’s age at 392 ±120 years.

Furthermore, they reach sexual maturity only around the age of 150.

This extreme lifespan immediately made the species of interest to ageing researchers.

What keeps them alive for centuries, and how do they maintain cellular integrity over such long durations?

The genome sequence revealed several surprising features.

First, the shark’s genome comprises about 6.

5 billion base pairs—roughly twice the size of a human genome—and is the largest shark genome sequenced to date.

Remarkably, more than 70 % of this genetic material consists of so‑called transposable elements (“jumping genes”), segments that often bodily copy and reinsert themselves across the genome.

In many organisms this is associated with genomic instability—but in the Greenland shark, the opposite seems true.

What this suggests is that during millions of years of evolution, the shark may have “hijacked” the machinery of these transposable elements to amplify genes involved in DNA repair.

In effect, the shark appears to have enlarged its toolkit for repairing cellular damage and suppressing processes that drive aging.

“Many duplicated genes are involved in repairing DNA damage,” said Cellerino.

One of the most compelling findings involves the gene TP53—known in humans as the “guardian of the genome” because of its crucial role in detecting DNA damage and triggering repair.

In the Greenland shark, researchers found alterations in TP53-like genes that may enhance its tumor‑resistance and longevity.

In addition, the team discovered expansions of gene families involved in the NF‑κB signalling pathway, a key regulator of immunity, inflammation and cell survival.

According to the authors: “The classical NF‑κB signalling pathway is crucial for the exceptional longevity of S.

microcephalus, as it regulates cell proliferation, migration, DNA repair, apoptosis and immune response.”

In a candid interview, Dr Hoffmann said: “The goal isn’t simply to make people live longer—it’s to keep people healthier for longer.

” He emphasised that while the shark’s biology cannot be transplanted into humans, the underlying mechanisms—better DNA repair, robust immune regulation, resistance to cellular damage—might inspire future therapies.

Indeed, the team hopes their publicly released genome will catalyse multiple independent lines of research.

For humans, the implications are profound.

Human aging is characterised by accumulating damage to DNA, diminished immune responses, chronic inflammation, increased cancer risk and gradual decline of physiological systems.

If the Greenland shark has evolved a natural blueprint for resisting these processes, studying its genome offers a unique model of ultra‑longevity.

As the Biodiversity Gateway article put it: “Mapping the genome of the Greenland shark … may be a step toward unlocking its secrets” and by extension, insights into human aging.

Still, the researchers caution that translating discoveries from deep‑sea sharks to human medicine involves immense complexity.

Metabolic differences, evolutionary distance, environmental conditions and lifespan scales all differ radically.

The shark inhabits deep, frigid waters with extremely slow growth and metabolism—each metre of its length may take decades to accrue.

These are not easily replicated conditions.

Yet the basic principle—enhanced cellular maintenance over centuries—resonates.

As one Post‑doc researcher, Dr Ewen Camplisson of the University of Manchester, remarked at the 2024 Society for Experimental Biology conference: “We want to look closely at some of these hallmarks to determine if the Greenland shark shows any signs of traditional aging.

” His preliminary findings: enzyme activities in the shark’s muscle tissue remain remarkably constant across ages estimated between 60‑200 years—unlike in mammals where enzyme decline is often evident.

The broader scientific community has taken notice.

In an analysis of long‑lived species such as giant tortoises, bowhead whales and naked mole rats, the Greenland shark now stands out as an extreme example of longevity.

Its genetic architecture may hold clues for biomedical research on healthy aging, cancer resistance and lifespan extension.

What comes next? The research team plans to leverage the published genome to investigate specific gene functions, perform comparative analyses across long‑lived species, study the regulatory networks that remain active in centuries‑old individuals, and explore the deep‑sea environment’s role in shaping longevity.

Conservation will also be critical: because these sharks take so long to mature and reproduce, they are highly vulnerable to environmental threats and human impacts.

In essence, the sea‑dwelling giant that silently drifts beneath Arctic waters may hold the key to unlocking the secrets of aging itself.

The Greenland shark’s extraordinary lifespan is not simply a curiosity—it could be nature’s own experiment in how life endures.

As Dr Cellerino put it: “We are at the threshold of a new era where age is not just a number—but a biological frontier we can begin to understand.”

In the cold darkness of the Arctic deep, a creature that has swum through centuries may now help humanity chart a course toward healthier, longer lives.