What this means
Researchers compared five clam species that live from about 30 to over 500 years. Long-lived clams had different levels of certain energy-related chemicals in their gills and mantle. The study shows a link between these patterns and long life, but it does not show that the patterns cause longer lives.
Plain-English summary written by an AI model from the abstract. The original is below.
- Who it was tested in
- Five marine clam species, including the ocean quahog (animals)
- Kind of research
- Research in animals or cells
The science
- Original title
- Metabolomic Signatures of Longevity in Bivalves Reveal Reorganization of TCA Cycle and Amino Acid Metabolism.
- Authors
- Bertrand P, Chevret CJL, Rodríguez E et al.
- Journal
- Aging cell
- Published
- Oct 25, 2026
- Study type
- Lab or animal study · indexed as animal research
- PMID
- 42928049 ↗
Abstract
Mitochondria are central regulators of cellular metabolism, integrating energy production, redox balance, and signaling pathways that shape aging trajectories. If mitochondrial organization contributes to lifespan divergence, exceptionally long-lived species should exhibit distinctive metabolic signatures reflecting adaptations promoting long-term cellular maintenance. Comparative approaches across species with extreme lifespan variation provide a powerful framework for identifying potential metabolic strategies underlying longevity. We conducted targeted metabolomic profiling of five marine bivalve species spanning a lifespan gradient from approximately 30 to more than 500 years, including the exceptionally long-lived ocean quahog, Arctica islandica. Fifty metabolites were quantified in gill and mantle tissue to determine whether lifespan variation is associated with coordinated changes in metabolic organization. Lifespan emerged as a dominant axis of metabolomic variation across species. Long-lived bivalves exhibited a distinct metabolic phenotype characterized by a global reduction in free amino acid pools and coordinated changes in metabolites associated with mitochondrial metabolism. Longevity was associated with increased succinate-to-fumarate ratios, reduced fumarate and malate concentrations, and reduced engagement of pyruvate-derived anaerobic pathways under basal conditions. Although these patterns varied in magnitude across tissues, they converged on a common longevity-associated metabolic signature. Together, these patterns suggest that exceptional longevity is associated with a distinct organization of mitochondrial-related metabolism and a more selective allocation of metabolic resources, rather than a generalized suppression of metabolism. Our findings identify metabolomic signatures associated with exceptional longevity across the bivalve species studied and support the hypothesis that long lifespan is characterized by a distinctive metabolic architecture favoring long-term cellular maintenance.
Bertrand P, Chevret CJL, Rodríguez E et al. Metabolomic Signatures of Longevity in Bivalves Reveal Reorganization of TCA Cycle and Amino Acid Metabolism. Aging cell. 2026. doi:10.1111/acel.70772. PMID: 42928049. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42928049/