These three are some of the oldest members of a group of centenarians in Brazil who are providing scientific clues about the limits of human longevity. Participants in the DNA Longevo (Portuguese for Long-lived DNA) study are still being recruited, but scientists have already sequenced the genomes of more than 160 centenarians. Twenty participants are 'supercentenarians' ' those who reached the age of 110. Early data show that the supercentenarians did not have especially healthy diets or exercise routines or access to high-end medicine for most of their lives. The secret to their long lives might instead lie in their genomes. In a preliminary report1 published this month, researchers hypothesize that the participants' genetic diversity could have a role in their resilience. 'We know that Brazil has a highly mixed population, and that may contribute to their longevity,' says geneticist Mayana Zatz, who leads the project at the Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center at the...
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