The bowhead whale—an Arctic giant with a truck‑sized head—can live over 200 years and shows very low cancer rates. Researchers from the University of Rochester report in Nature that bowhead cells express a cold‑activated protein, CIRBP, which appears to protect DNA and promote faithful repair. While the exact molecular mechanism remains unknown, the discovery offers a plausible clue to the species' longevity and suggests potential, long‑term avenues for therapies targeting genome instability.
Century‑old 'Jazz' Whales: Could a Cold‑Activated Protein Explain Bowheads' Remarkable Longevity?
The bowhead whale—an Arctic giant with a truck‑sized head—can live over 200 years and shows very low cancer rates. Researchers from the University of Rochester report in Nature that bowhead cells express a cold‑activated protein, CIRBP, which appears to protect DNA and promote faithful repair. While the exact molecular mechanism remains unknown, the discovery offers a plausible clue to the species' longevity and suggests potential, long‑term avenues for therapies targeting genome instability.
16:43, 05.11.2025Science
Bowhead whales, ice and extraordinary lifespans
The bowhead whale has the largest mouth of any animal and uses its truck‑sized, curved head to batter through Arctic ice when surfacing from deep waters. Swimming in frigid seas and repeatedly smashing its skull against ice might seem a poor recipe for longevity, yet this hardy Arctic giant routinely lives for more than 200 years.
Like humpbacks, bowheads produce complex, musical calls and are sometimes nicknamed the “jazz players of the ocean” for their layered ululations and booming bellows. Some of today's oldest bowheads were likely singing the same tunes during the US Civil War and the revolutions of 1848.
New research points to a cold‑activated protein
A team led by Denis Firsanov and Max Zacher at the University of Rochester reports in Nature (October) that bowhead cells express a cold‑activated protein called CIRBP (cold‑inducible RNA‑binding protein). According to the authors, CIRBP appears to help protect DNA from harmful mutations and to promote unusually faithful repair of genetic material—attributes that may contribute to the species' exceptional longevity and surprisingly low cancer incidence.
“The bowhead whale provides evidence that the notion DNA repair would be impossible is incorrect,” the researchers write, while noting that the precise molecular mechanisms still require clarification.
The team suggests that understanding how CIRBP and related pathways function in bowheads could inform future approaches to treat genome instability in humans—particularly for people with genetic predispositions to cancer and for ageing populations at higher cancer risk. However, the researchers emphasize that translating these findings into therapies is speculative at this stage and will require much more mechanistic and translational work.
What this means—and what it doesn’t
These findings offer an intriguing biological clue to how long‑lived mammals maintain genomic integrity in extreme environments, but they are not a direct cure or immediate therapy. CIRBP is one piece of a complex puzzle that includes genetics, metabolism, and environmental adaptations. Further studies are needed to confirm causation, define the molecular details, and determine whether similar protective strategies can be safely adapted in humans.
Bottom line: Bowhead whales may have evolved cold‑tuned cellular tools—including CIRBP—that help preserve DNA and lower cancer risk, offering a promising avenue for future research into ageing and genome stability.