MItochondrial function, structure, and damage are clearly important to longevity, both within and between species, so it should be no surprise to find mitochondrial DNA haplogroups associated with variations in human longevity: "Human longevity is a complex heritable genetic trait. Based on substantial evidence from model organisms, it is clear that mitochondria play a pivotal role in aging and lifespan. However, the effects that mitochondrial genome variations have upon longevity and longevity-related phenotypes in Zhuang people in China have yet to be established. By genotyping 15 variants for 10 haplogroups in 738 Zhuang subjects, including 367 long-lived individuals and 371 controls, we found that haplogroup F was significantly associated with longevity in females of Zhuang population of China. Additionally, haplogroup F was related to higher HDL levels in long-lived individuals. Further analysis suggests that the non-synonymous variant m.13928G>C in haplogroup F was also associated with longevity in female Zhuang Chinese which might account for the beneficial effect of F."

Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21945877

Source:
http://www.longevitymeme.org/newsletter/latest_rss_feed.cfm