Overview
- A multinational team sequenced a chromosome-level genome from a two-toed sloth and found multiple active transposable elements that arose in the sloth ancestor about 30 million years ago.
- The peer-reviewed paper, published 9 June in BMC Biology, reports that many of the sloth-specific elements are associated with mitochondrial function and metabolic pathways.
- The tissue sample came from a captive sloth named Lama Su at Tierpark Berlin and was collected post-euthanasia by zoo staff for reasons unrelated to the study.
- Authors say sloth cell lines and the identified elements could serve as natural models to study low-energy states, ageing-related disorders, tissue preservation and other biomedical questions, but those applications remain speculative until lab tests validate function.
- The research team plans follow-up experiments using cell lines and single-cell sequencing to test the transposons' effects, and their next findings will determine whether the elements are beneficial, neutral, or harmful.