The secrets of longevity and health will be revealed by the genome of a naked digger

The genome of the naked digger has been decoded
<url>Scientists have deciphered the genome of a naked digger – a hairless rodent that lives underground and has a number of unique properties.

The results of the work have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. BBC News writes briefly about them (Naked mole rat's genome 'blueprint' revealed).

Naked diggers Heterocephalus glaber live in arid areas of West Africa. Unlike other mammals, the social structure of the society of these animals resembles the social structure of insects. So, in H. glaber colonies, only one female reproduces, and the rest perform the role of workers or soldiers.

In addition, naked diggers are characterized by a number of physiological features – in particular, these animals almost do not feel pain, do not get cancer and are able to withstand extremely low oxygen concentrations. At the same time, the lifespan of H. glaber is ten or more times longer than that of other rodents.

Scientists expect that knowledge of the DNA sequence of naked rodents will allow them to find out the molecular basis of the unusual properties of these animals. This information, in turn, can be useful for creating drugs that prevent the development of cancer and drugs that slow down aging.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru07.07.2011