SMART THINKER
A Kiwi professor has led a group of scientists in sequencing the genome of the tuatara. Could this breakthrough hold the secret to our longevity?
Kiwi professor Neil Gemmell has led a group of scientists in sequencing the genome of the tuatara.
In a remarkable world first, a team of scientists has successfully sequenced the genome of the tuatara, a rare, native New Zealand reptile that traces its origins back to over 200 million years ago, a time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
The decade-long research project was led by University of Otago professor, Neil Gemmell and was a true passion project for the Kiwi scientist. The idea to sequence the tuatara genome was first broached by Genome10k, a consortium of scientists seeking to sequence the genomes of 10,000 vertebrate species. “They had developed a list of the 100 most important species to sequence,” explains Professor Gemmell. “Guess which species was number one? It was our very own tuatara.” As the only Kiwi scientist in the group, Gemmell thought it only right to put his name forward to lead the ambitious project.
“THE FINDINGS COULD PROVE USEFUL WHEN IT COMES TO OUR OWN HEALTH.”
Genome sequencing is the process of determining the DNA sequence of an organism’s genome and provides a vital blueprint for understanding a species. The tuatara has a very large genome, 67 per cent bigger than the human one, and it took Professor Gemmell and his team almost 10 years to gather the raw data, analyse it and produce the final paper.
The results of this trailblazing study have offered fascinating insights into one of the world’s oldest creatures. “If we consider a tree of life, with species diverging over time and splitting off into groups such as reptiles, birds and mammals, we can finally see with some certainty where the tuatara sits,” says Professor Gemmell. The new findings place the tuatara firmly on the branch shared with lizards and snakes. However, they also reveal that the tuatara appears to have split off on its own trajectory around 250 million years ago. When you consider that primates only originated around 65 million years ago, this is a massive length of time.
While the reptile may seem distant from our human biology, the findings could prove useful when it comes to our own health, says Professor Gemmell. Tuatara can live to be more than 100 years old and by examining their genes, scientists may be able to unlock the secret to their remarkable longevity. “There are proteins that protect us against DNA damage, one of the main causes of ageing, and we find more of those proteins in the tuatara genome than we do in other species,” says Professor Gemmell. “Could this be one of the keys to their long lifespan? Tuatara also don’t appear to get many diseases, so looking into what genetic factors might protect them is another point of focus. It is not far-fetched to suggest that in understanding the tuatara genome, we may gain novel insights, beneficial to understanding our own biology and health.”
One of the main strengths of this groundbreaking research was the collaboration between
From top: University of Otago professor Neil Gemmell has spent 10 years trying to unlock the DNA blueprint of the tuatara; The reptile can live to be more than 100 years old.
the scientists and local iwi, Ngātiwai. “It was science at one level and Mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) at another, but there was a commonality of interest and understanding,” says Professor Gemmell. “The mutual ground that everyone stood on was this recognition that in understanding the biology of the animal we could better conserve tuatara going forward.” As kaitiaki (guardians) of the tuatara, Ngātiwai were actively involved in the decision-making, while creating opportunities for students to visit the labs and undertake their kaitiaki responsibilities. “We’re hopeful that what we’ve developed is a framework from which others can build,” says Professor Gemmell. “It was an attempt to have a more inclusive process around the use of genomic data.”
Now with the tuatara’s genomic map in his hands, Professor Gemmell is excited to explore the many scientific paths it has opened up, including the way climate change may affect sex determination and how to better conserve the species for future generations. “It may be the biggest contribution I make in my scientific career. It’s certainly been a lot of work.”