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Naked Mole Rat
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Longevity
The naked mole rat is also of interest because it is extraordinarily long-lived for a rodent of its size (up to 28 years) and holds the record for the longest living rodent. The reason for their longevity is debated, but is thought to be related to the fact that they can substantially reduce their metabolism during hard times, and so prevent oxidative damage. This has been summed up as "They're living their life in pulses." Because of their extraordinary longevity, an international effort was put into place to sequence the genome of the naked mole rat. A draft genome was made available in 2011.
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