New York, Nov 13 (IANS): Researchers have published the whole-genome sequences of the world's oldest living people.

However, the team was unable to find genes significantly associated with extreme longevity.

"Using fewer than 20 genomes, we were unable to find rare protein-altering variants significantly associated with extreme longevity," said Hinco Gierman from the Stanford University in the US.

The team performed whole-genome sequencing on 17 supercentenarians to explore the genetic basis underlying extreme human longevity.

From this small sample size, the researchers were unable to find rare protein altering variants significantly associated with extreme longevity compared.

However, they did find that one supercentenarian carries a variant associated with a heart condition, which had little or no effect on his/her health as this person lived over 110 years.

Although the authors did not find significant association with extreme longevity, the authors have publicly published the genomes - making them available as a resource for future studies on the genetic basis of extreme longevity.

Currently, there are 74 supercentenarians alive worldwide, with 22 living in the US.

The study was published in the open-access journal PLOS ONE.