Cancer resistance, longevity secrets revealed in naked mole-rat

The naked mole ratis an unassuming rodent with incredible longevity and resistance to cancer.

Now, researcher Andrei Seluanov and colleagues from the University of Rochester have discovered the secretbehindthe long life of the naked mole rat.

• Hear CBC science columnist Torah Kachur'sreport, including her interview with Seluanov

The new research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reveals that protein-producing enzymescalledribosomesare much more efficient and effective in naked mole-rats than in their mouse relatives.

That means the naked mole-ratribosomes make fewer errors when producing proteins, resulting in less cell damage and less aging.

The researchers hope their findings could eventually be used to develop drugs that affect protein-making to reverse or prevent cellular aging.