Shutterstock
Great white sharks have mutations in their DNA that protect them against cancer and other illnesses, as well as allowing them to heal rapidly even from large wounds.
Now, scientists have mapped their genetic code which could provide a pathway to treating a number of illnesses in humans.
An international research team of scientists from the Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Research Centre at Nova Southeastern University in Florida, Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI), Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, and Monterey Bay Aquarium worked together to carry out this groundbreaking study that has unraveled and mapped the DNA genome of great white sharks.
Great white sharks, in their evolution, have developed a number of self-repair abilities, such as extremely quick healing and resilience against cancer. But even more amazing – great white sharks have the ability to repair their own DNA – something humans can’t do.
The DNA in great white sharks is one and a half times larger than human DNA. While humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, the sharks have 41. Researchers say that sharks exhibit a number of genetic changes that represent success in their evolution.
The scientists hope to further unlock the genetic secrets that have allowed sharks to be more tolerant to damage and develop self-repair
What these researchers are learning about shark DNA unlocks the possibility to apply these findings to humans, as well as, the potential for developing cancer-fighting drugs and medications that stave off age-related diseases.
The researchers added that learning how sharks self-repair could lead to better wound-healing treatments in humans.
“We found positive selection and gene content enrichments involving several genes tied to some of the most fundamental pathways in wound healing, including in a key blood clotting gene,” said Doctor Michael Stanhope of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
“These adaptations involving wound healing genes may underlie the vaunted ability of sharks to heal efficiently from even large wounds.”
