The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) genome provides insights into extreme longevity

Abstract

The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) is the longest-lived vertebrate known, with an estimated lifespan of ~ 400 years. Here, we present a chromosome-level assembly of the 6.45 Gb Greenland shark, rendering it one of the largest non-tetrapod genomes sequenced so far. Expansion of the genome is mostly accounted for by a substantial expansion of transposable elements. Using public shark genomes as a comparison, we found that genes specifically duplicated in the Greenland shark form a functionally connected network enriched for DNA repair function. Furthermore, we identified a unique insertion in the conserved C-terminal region of the key tumor suppressor p53. We also provide a public browser to explore its genome.