Scientists have discovered a species of fish that has not evolved since the Jurassic period and could be used to treat cancer

Research indicates that these fish have The slowest rate of molecular evolution among all jawed vertebratesWhich means that its genome changes more slowly compared to other animals. This glacial rhythm of evolution is linked to the Jurassic period The process of hybridization in species Who shared a common ancestor during the age of dinosaurs, which in turn limited the diversity of their species. Thomas J. highlights Nair, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the Yale School of Arts and Sciences and lead author of the study, highlights the discovery as the first scientific example in which an evolutionary lineage, by its most fundamental aspect, in biology, is shown to fit the criteria of a living fossil.

Researchers suggest so Garfish have an unusually efficient DNA repair mechanismwhich allows them Correction of somatic and germline mutations More efficiently than most other vertebrates. This ability to repair DNA could have major implications for human health, as most cancers are caused by somatic mutations, which are failures of an individual's DNA repair mechanisms. If further studies confirm that DNA repair mechanisms are highly effective, we can begin to think about potential applications for human health, Nir says.