Why do bats have such long lifespans?

[rusanu]

In The vital Question https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vital_Question Nick Lane is arguing that the eukaryote symbiotic cell (archea host, bacterial mitochondria symbiot) leads, via sex and the requirement for gene compatibility between the small mitochondrial genome and the host nuclear genome, to a "best fit" pressure on organism with extreme metabolism. Simplified, "Heartbeat hypothesis" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rate-of-living_theory) doe snot apply to, say, birds, that have extreme metabolic requirements (= flight). The fact that, among mammals, is bats that fit the same longevity may indicate that the mitochondrial-nucleus gene match idea could be right.

[rusanu]

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21922504/ Mitonuclear match: optimizing fitness and fertility over generations drives ageing within generations

also https://nick-lane.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Lane-Bioess...

[scotty79]

I wonder if bats mitochondria are somehow unique too. Can you transplant bat mitochondria into a mouse?

[loonster]

Bats have much higher levels of melatonin. Melatonin protects mitochondria.

[raadore]

Because they don’t have vaccines.