Clues to the sloth’s sloth found in its genome

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

18 June 2026

Sequencing shows duplication of genes that affect mitochondria, the organelles that provide energy for cells.

The genome of the tree-sloth species Choloepus didactylus hints at how it lives life in the slow lane1.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-01869-y

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