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Monaghan P. Linking telomere dynamics to evolution, life history and environmental change: perspectives, predictions and problems. Biogerontology 2024; 25:301-311. [PMID: 38252370 PMCID: PMC10998769 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-023-10081-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
This perspectives paper considers the value of studying telomere biology outside of a biomedical context. I provide illustrative examples of the kinds of questions that evolutionary ecologists have addressed in studies of telomere dynamics in non-model species, primarily metazoan animals, and what this can contribute to our understanding of their evolution, life histories and health. I also discuss why the predicted relationships between telomere dynamics and life history traits, based on the detailed cellular studies in humans and model organisms, are not always found in studies in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pat Monaghan
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, Graham Kerr Building University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
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2
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Metcalfe NB. How important is hidden phenotypic plasticity arising from alternative but converging developmental trajectories, and what limits it? J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246010. [PMID: 38449324 PMCID: PMC10949067 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Developmental plasticity -- the capacity for a genotype to develop into different phenotypes, depending on the environment - is typically viewed from the perspective of the resulting phenotype. Thus, if development is viewed as a trajectory towards a target, then developmental plasticity allows environmentally induced alterations to the target. However, there can also be variations in the trajectory. This is seen with compensatory responses, for instance where growth accelerates after an earlier period of food shortage, or where investment in sexual ornaments is maintained even when resources are limiting. If the compensation is complete, the adult phenotype can appear 'normal' (i.e. the different developmental trajectories converge on the same target). However, alternative trajectories to a common target can have multiple long-term consequences, including altered physiological programming and rates of senescence, possibly owing to trade-offs between allocating resources to the prioritized trait versus to body maintenance. This suggests that plasticity in developmental trajectories towards a common target leads to variation in the resilience and robustness of the adult body. This form of developmental plasticity is far more hidden than plasticity in final adult target, but it may be more common. Here, I discuss the causes, consequences and limitations of these different kinds of plasticity, with a special focus on whether they are likely to be adaptive. I emphasize the need to study plasticity in developmental trajectories, and conclude with suggestions for future research to tease apart the different forms of developmental plasticity and the factors that influence their evolution and expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil B. Metcalfe
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, Graham Kerr Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
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3
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Pepke ML. Telomere length is not a useful tool for chronological age estimation in animals. Bioessays 2024; 46:e2300187. [PMID: 38047504 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202300187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are short repetitive DNA sequences capping the ends of chromosomes. Telomere shortening occurs during cell division and may be accelerated by oxidative damage or ameliorated by telomere maintenance mechanisms. Consequently, telomere length changes with age, which was recently confirmed in a large meta-analysis across vertebrates. However, based on the correlation between telomere length and age, it was concluded that telomere length can be used as a tool for chronological age estimation in animals. Correlation should not be confused with predictability, and the current data and studies suggest that telomeres cannot be used to reliably predict individual chronological age. There are biological reasons for why there is large individual variation in telomere dynamics, which is mainly due to high susceptibility to a wide range of environmental, but also genetic factors, rendering telomeres unfeasible as a tool for age estimation. The use of telomeres for chronological age estimation is largely a misguided effort, but its occasional reappearance in the literature raises concerns that it will mislead resources in wildlife conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael L Pepke
- Center for Evolutionary Hologenomics, Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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4
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Casagrande S, Loveland JL, Oefele M, Boner W, Lupi S, Stier A, Hau M. Dietary nucleotides can prevent glucocorticoid-induced telomere attrition in a fast-growing wild vertebrate. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:5429-5447. [PMID: 37658759 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are chromosome protectors that shorten during eukaryotic cell replication and in stressful conditions. Developing individuals are susceptible to telomere erosion when their growth is fast and resources are limited. This is critical because the rate of telomere attrition in early life is linked to health and life span of adults. The metabolic telomere attrition hypothesis (MeTA) suggests that telomere dynamics can respond to biochemical signals conveying information about the organism's energetic state. Among these signals are glucocorticoids, hormones that promote catabolic processes, potentially impairing costly telomere maintenance, and nucleotides, which activate anabolic pathways through the cellular enzyme target of rapamycin (TOR), thus preventing telomere attrition. During the energetically demanding growth phase, the regulation of telomeres in response to two contrasting signals - one promoting telomere maintenance and the other attrition - provides an ideal experimental setting to test the MeTA. We studied nestlings of a rapidly developing free-living passerine, the great tit (Parus major), that either received glucocorticoids (Cort-chicks), nucleotides (Nuc-chicks) or a combination of both (NucCort-chicks), comparing these with controls (Cnt-chicks). As expected, Cort-chicks showed telomere attrition, while NucCort- and Nuc-chicks did not. NucCort-chicks was the only group showing increased expression of a proxy for TOR activation (the gene TELO2), of mitochondrial enzymes linked to ATP production (cytochrome oxidase and ATP-synthase) and a higher efficiency in aerobically producing ATP. NucCort-chicks had also a higher expression of telomere maintenance genes (shelterin protein TERF2 and telomerase TERT) and of enzymatic antioxidant genes (glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase). The findings show that nucleotide availability is crucial for preventing telomere erosion during fast growth in stressful environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Casagrande
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Evolutionary Physiology Group, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Jasmine L Loveland
- Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marlene Oefele
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Evolutionary Physiology Group, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Winnie Boner
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Sara Lupi
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Antoine Stier
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR7178, Strasbourg, France
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Michaela Hau
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Evolutionary Physiology Group, Seewiesen, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Constance, Germany
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5
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Sirman AE, Schmidt JE, Clark ME, Kittilson JD, Reed WL, Heidinger BJ. Compensatory Growth Is Accompanied by Changes in Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 but Not Markers of Cellular Aging in a Long-Lived Seabird. Am Nat 2023; 202:78-91. [PMID: 37384761 DOI: 10.1086/724599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
AbstractDeveloping organisms often plastically modify growth in response to environmental circumstances, which may be adaptive but is expected to entail long-term costs. However, the mechanisms that mediate these growth adjustments and any associated costs are less well understood. In vertebrates, one mechanism that may be important in this context is the highly conserved signaling factor insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which is frequently positively related to postnatal growth and negatively related to longevity. To test this idea, we exposed captive Franklin's gulls (Leucophaeus pipixcan) to a physiologically relevant nutritional stressor by restricting food availability during postnatal development and examined the effects on growth, IGF-1, and two potential biomarkers of cellular and organismal aging (oxidative stress and telomeres). During food restriction, experimental chicks gained body mass more slowly and had lower IGF-1 levels than controls. Following food restriction, experimental chicks underwent compensatory growth, which was accompanied by an increase in IGF-1 levels. Interestingly, however, there were no significant effects of the experimental treatment or of variation in IGF-1 levels on oxidative stress or telomeres. These findings suggest that IGF-1 is responsive to changes in resource availability but is not associated with increased markers of cellular aging during development in this relatively long-lived species.
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Catitti B, Kormann UG, van Bergen VS, Grüebler MU. Turning tables: food availability shapes dynamic aggressive behaviour among asynchronously hatching siblings in red kites Milvus milvus. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230328. [PMID: 37476514 PMCID: PMC10354486 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Aggression represents the backbone of dominance acquisition in several animal societies, where the decision to interact is dictated by its relative cost. Among siblings, such costs are weighted in the light of inclusive fitness, but how this translates to aggression patterns in response to changing external and internal conditions remains unclear. Using a null-model-based approach, we investigate how day-to-day changes in food provisioning affect aggression networks and food allocation in growing red kite (Milvus milvus) nestlings, whose dominance rank is largely dictated by age. We show that older siblings, irrespective of age, change from targeting only close-aged peers (close-competitor pattern) when food provisioning is low, to uniformly attacking all other peers (downward heuristic pattern) as food conditions improve. While food allocation was generally skewed towards the older siblings, the youngest sibling in the nest increased its probability of accessing food as more was provisioned and as downward heuristic patterns became more prominent, suggesting that different aggression patterns allow for catch-up growth after periods of low food. Our results indicate that dynamic aggression patterns within the nest modulate environmental effects on juvenile development by influencing the process of dominance acquisition and potentially impacting the fledging body condition, with far-reaching fitness consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Catitti
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, 6204 Sempach, Switzerland
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Urs G. Kormann
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, 6204 Sempach, Switzerland
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7
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Salmón P, Dawson NJ, Millet C, Selman C, Monaghan P. Mitochondrial function declines with age within individuals but is not linked to the pattern of growth or mortality risk in zebra finch. Aging Cell 2023:e13822. [PMID: 36938671 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial dysfunction is considered a highly conserved hallmark of ageing. However, most of the studies in both model and non-model organisms are cross-sectional in design; therefore, little is known, at the individual level, on how mitochondrial function changes with age, its link to early developmental conditions or its relationship with survival. Here we manipulated the postnatal growth in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) via dietary modification that induced accelerated growth without changing adult body size. In the same individuals, we examined blood cells mitochondrial functioning (mainly erythrocytes) when they were young (ca. 36 weeks) and again in mid-aged (ca. 91 weeks) adulthood. Mitochondrial function was strongly influenced by age but not by postnatal growth conditions. Across all groups, within individual ROUTINE respiration, OXPHOS and OXPHOS coupling efficiency significantly declined with age, while LEAK respiration increased. However, we found no link between mitochondrial function and the probability of survival into relatively old age (ca. 4 years). Our results suggest that the association between accelerated growth and reduced longevity, evident in this as in other species, is not attributable to age-related changes in any of the measured mitochondrial function traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Salmón
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.,Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Neal J Dawson
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Caroline Millet
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Colin Selman
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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8
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Longitudinal telomere dynamics within natural lifespans of a wild bird. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4272. [PMID: 36922555 PMCID: PMC10017829 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31435-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres, the nucleotide sequences that protect the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, shorten with each cell division and telomere loss may be influenced by environmental factors. Telomere length (TL) decreases with age in several species, but little is known about the sources of genetic and environmental variation in the change in TL (∆TL) in wild animals. In this study, we tracked changes in TL throughout the natural lifespan (from a few months to almost 9 years) of free-living house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in two different island populations. TL was measured in nestlings and subsequently up to four times during their lifetime. TL generally decreased with age (senescence), but we also observed instances of telomere lengthening within individuals. We found some evidence for selective disappearance of individuals with shorter telomeres through life. Early-life TL positively predicted later-life TL, but the within-individual repeatability in TL was low (9.2%). Using genetic pedigrees, we found a moderate heritability of ∆TL (h2 = 0.21), which was higher than the heritabilities of early-life TL (h2 = 0.14) and later-life TL measurements (h2 = 0.15). Cohort effects explained considerable proportions of variation in early-life TL (60%), later-life TL (53%), and ∆TL (37%), which suggests persistent impacts of the early-life environment on lifelong telomere dynamics. Individual changes in TL were independent of early-life TL. Finally, there was weak evidence for population differences in ∆TL that may be linked to ecological differences in habitat types. Combined, our results show that individual telomere biology is highly dynamic and influenced by both genetic and environmental variation in natural conditions.
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Pepke ML, Kvalnes T, Lundregan S, Boner W, Monaghan P, Saether BE, Jensen H, Ringsby TH. Genetic architecture and heritability of early-life telomere length in a wild passerine. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:6360-6381. [PMID: 34825754 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Early-life telomere length (TL) is associated with fitness in a range of organisms. Little is known about the genetic basis of variation in TL in wild animal populations, but to understand the evolutionary and ecological significance of TL it is important to quantify the relative importance of genetic and environmental variation in TL. In this study, we measured TL in 2746 house sparrow nestlings sampled across 20 years and used an animal model to show that there is a small heritable component of early-life TL (h2 = 0.04). Variation in TL among individuals was mainly driven by environmental (annual) variance, but also brood and parental effects. Parent-offspring regressions showed a large maternal inheritance component in TL ( h maternal 2 = 0.44), but no paternal inheritance. We did not find evidence for a negative genetic correlation underlying the observed negative phenotypic correlation between TL and structural body size. Thus, TL may evolve independently of body size and the negative phenotypic correlation is likely to be caused by nongenetic environmental effects. We further used genome-wide association analysis to identify genomic regions associated with TL variation. We identified several putative genes underlying TL variation; these have been inferred to be involved in oxidative stress, cellular growth, skeletal development, cell differentiation and tumorigenesis in other species. Together, our results show that TL has a low heritability and is a polygenic trait strongly affected by environmental conditions in a free-living bird.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Le Pepke
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Thomas Kvalnes
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Sarah Lundregan
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Winnie Boner
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine (IBAHCM), University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine (IBAHCM), University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Bernt-Erik Saether
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Henrik Jensen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
| | - Thor Harald Ringsby
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway
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10
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Lynn SE, Kern MD, Serrurier B, Sirman A, Heidinger BJ. Chill out: Environmentally relevant cooling challenge does not increase telomere loss during early life. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 329:114108. [PMID: 35988638 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
In vertebrates, exposure to diverse stressors during early life activates a stress response that can initiate compensatory mechanisms or promote cellular damage with long-term fitness consequences. A growing number of studies associate exposure to stressors during early life with increased damage to telomeres (i.e., promoting the shortening of these highly conserved, repeating sequences of non-coding DNA at chromosome ends). However, some studies show no such relationship, suggesting that the nature, timing, and context of these challenges may determine the degree to which physiological mediators of the stress response act in a damage-mitigating or damage promoting way in relation to telomere dynamics. In free-living eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis), we have previously demonstrated that bouts of offspring cooling that occur when brooding females leave the nest increase at least one such physiological mediator of the stress response (circulating glucocorticoids), suggesting that variation in patterns of maternal brooding may result in different impacts on telomere dynamics at a young age. Here we experimentally tested whether repeated bouts of ecologically relevant offspring cooling affected telomere dynamics during post-natal development. Rates of telomere shortening during the nestling stage were not affected by experimental cooling, but they were affected by brood size and the rate of growth during the nestling stage. Our data suggest that the effects of developmental stress exposure on offspring telomeres are often context-dependent and that not all challenges that increase physiological mediators of stress result in damage to telomeres. Under some conditions, physiological mediators of stress may instead act as protective regulators, allowing for optimization of fitness outcomes in the face of environmental challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon E Lynn
- The College of Wooster, Department of Biology, 931 College Mall, Wooster OH 44691, United States.
| | - Michael D Kern
- The College of Wooster, Department of Biology, 931 College Mall, Wooster OH 44691, United States
| | - Bridget Serrurier
- The College of Wooster, Department of Biology, 931 College Mall, Wooster OH 44691, United States
| | - Aubrey Sirman
- North Dakota State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Fargo ND 58108, United States
| | - Britt J Heidinger
- North Dakota State University, Department of Biological Sciences, Fargo ND 58108, United States
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11
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Noguera JC, Velando A. Maternal testosterone affects offspring telomerase activity in a long-lived seabird. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9281. [PMID: 36110870 PMCID: PMC9465397 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Androgens are a group of steroid hormones that have long been proposed as a mechanism underpinning intergenerational plasticity. In birds, maternally allocated egg testosterone, one of the main androgens in vertebrates, affects a wide variety of offspring phenotypic traits but the mechanisms underlying this form of intergenerational plasticity are not yet well understood. Recent in vitro and animal model studies have shown that telomerase expression and activity are important targets of androgen signaling. The telomerase enzyme is known for its repair function on telomeres, the DNA-protein complexes at the ends of chromosomes that are involved in genomic integrity and cell aging. However, the role of maternal testosterone in influencing offspring telomerase levels in natural populations and its consequences on telomere length and potentially on offspring development is still unknown. Here, by experimentally modifying the level of egg testosterone in a natural population of yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), we show that chicks hatched from testosterone-treated eggs had higher average levels of telomerase and faster growth than controls during the first week of life. While testosterone-treated chicks also tended to have longer telomeres than controls at hatching this difference disappeared by day 6 of age. Overall, our results suggest that maternal testosterone may have a potential adaptive value by promoting offspring growth and presumably telomerase levels, as this enzyme plays other important physiological functions (e.g., stress resistance, cell signaling, or tissue genesis) besides telomere lengthening. Nonetheless, our knowledge of the potential adaptive function of telomerase in natural populations is scarce and so the potential pathways linking maternal hormones, offspring telomerase, and fitness should be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose C Noguera
- Grupo de Ecología Animal (GEA), Centro de Investigación Marina (CIM) Universidad de Vigo Vigo Spain
| | - Alberto Velando
- Grupo de Ecología Animal (GEA), Centro de Investigación Marina (CIM) Universidad de Vigo Vigo Spain
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12
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van de Crommenacker J, Hammers M, Dugdale HL, Burke TA, Komdeur J, Richardson DS. Early‐life conditions impact juvenile telomere length, but do not predict later life‐history strategies or fitness in a wild vertebrate. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8971. [PMID: 35784039 PMCID: PMC9207752 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Janske van de Crommenacker
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Martijn Hammers
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Hannah L. Dugdale
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
- Faculty of Biological Sciences School of Biology University of Leeds Leeds UK
| | - Terry A. Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES) University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - David S. Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences University of East Anglia Norfolk UK
- Nature Seychelles Roche Caiman Mahé Seychelles
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13
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Marasco V, Smith S, Angelier F. How does early-life adversity shape telomere dynamics during adulthood? Problems and paradigms. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2100184. [PMID: 35122449 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202100184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Although early-life adversity has been associated with negative consequences during adulthood, growing evidence shows that such adversity can also lead to subsequent stress resilience and positive fitness outcomes. Telomere dynamics are relevant in this context because of the link with developmental conditions and longevity. However, few studies have assessed whether the effects of early-life adversity on developmental telomere dynamics may relate to adult telomere dynamics. We propose that the potential links between early-life adversity and adult telomere dynamics could be driven by developmental constraints (the Constraint hypothesis), by the nature/severity of developmental adversity (the Resilience hypothesis), or by developmental-mediated changes in individual life-history strategies (the Pace of Life hypothesis). We discuss these non-mutually exclusive hypotheses, explore future research directions, and propose specific studies to test these hypotheses. Our article aims to expand our understanding of the evolutionary role of developmental conditions on adult telomere dynamics, stress resilience and ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Marasco
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology (KLIVV), University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Steve Smith
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology (KLIVV), University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-La Rochelle Université (LRU), UMR 7372, Villiers en Bois, France
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14
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Wolf SE, Rosvall KA. A multi-tissue view on telomere dynamics and postnatal growth. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 337:346-355. [PMID: 34964306 PMCID: PMC8989676 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Trade-offs between growth and self-maintenance are common in nature, such that early-life effects on growth can generate lasting consequences on survival and longevity. Telomeres-putative biomarkers of self-maintenance-may link early growth with these later phenotypic effects, but evidence for growth-telomere trade-offs is mixed. Null or even positive relationships between growth and telomeres may be driven by heterogeneity in resource availability or invariable allocation towards telomere maintenance within a population. We used nestling tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) to assess the directionality and timing of relationships between growth and telomere length in several tissues. We focused on two important phases of growth: first, the peak of postnatal growth occurring around 6 days old when nestlings grow by ~33% in a single day, and subsequently, the later phase of growth occurring as body mass plateaus near adult size at 12 days old. We quantified telomere attrition in blood during postnatal growth, as well as telomere length in the blood, brain, adrenals, and liver at 12 days old. Growth was unrelated to telomere length in the liver and telomere dynamics in blood. However, brain telomere length was positively correlated with peak growth, and adrenal telomere length was positively related to later growth, particularly for chicks that had experienced a temporary stressor. These observations suggest that variation in resource availability may mask trade-offs, generating positive correlations between growth and telomere length at the population level. They also provide insights into complex relationships between growth and self-maintenance that can be revealed by looking in multiple tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Wolf
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
- Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Kimberly A Rosvall
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
- Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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