"Years After His Death, Lonesome George's Genome Offers Clues to Long Life"
by Vicky Stein
Lonesome George, a wizened Galapagos giant tortoise, was the last of his kind. When a researcher spotted the nearly five-foot-long reptile roaming Pinta Island in 1971, his species had been thought extinct for decades. During the 40 years that followed — until his death in 2012 — Lonesome George was believed to be the only Pinta giant tortoise on the planet.
Now, researchers are using the iconic tortoise’s genetic material along with DNA from another long-lived turtle, the Aldabra giant tortoise, to better understand what it takes to live a long life.
In a new study published Monday in Nature Ecology and Evolution, the researchers sequenced Lonesome George and his fellow giant tortoises’ genes to compare the common genetic links among other long-living animals — such as naked mole rats, bats, some species of whales and humans.
They found a set of genetic adaptations related to cancer suppression, DNA repair and inflammation, laying the groundwork for future experiments into the mechanics of aging.
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Question
Use the article to answer the question.
How does the author shape the central idea?
(1 point)
Responses
by telling readers how to use the information scientists gathered about Lonesome George to help them have longer lives
by telling readers how to use the information scientists gathered about Lonesome George to help them have longer lives
by showing how studying Lonesome George’s life will help scientists prevent the extinction of giant tortoises, which not too long ago seemed inevitable
by showing how studying Lonesome George’s life will help scientists prevent the extinction of giant tortoises, which not too long ago seemed inevitable
by explaining why Lonesome George is scientifically interesting and then showing how scientists can use data gathered from him to learn more about humans
by explaining why Lonesome George is scientifically interesting and then showing how scientists can use data gathered from him to learn more about humans
by comparing the genes of giant tortoises like Lonesome George to human genes to learn something about human aging