New Research Uses Shark DNA to Develop 'Epigenetic Clock' for Aging

What Shark DNA Can Teach Us About The Biology Of Aging

What if we could estimate a shark’s age from a small blood sample rather than counting growth rings in its vertebrae? New research on zebra sharks has developed an “epigenetic clock” that can predict age with surprising accuracy, using changes in DNA methylation at just 10 sites. The approach could eventually give conservation scientists a non-lethal way to understand the age structure of wild shark populations, while also offering clues about how aging itself evolved across vertebrates.

By Melissa Cristina Márquez, Contributor