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Lee HY, Lee JH, Baek J, Cho KA, Min KJ. Piperine improves the health span of Drosophila melanogaster with age- and sex-specific effect. Biogerontology 2024; 25:665-677. [PMID: 38548993 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-024-10100-2] [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: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Piperine, a dietary phytochemical isolated from the Piper species, has been used as a natural medicine for pain, flu, and fever in ancient China and India. Although the health benefits of piperine have been widely studied, research on its effect on aging is limited. This study aimed to determine whether piperine has the potential to mitigate aging-related changes in the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), which is an excellent model organism for studies on aging. The experiments were conducted using the newly eclosed or 30-day-old D. melanogaster wild-type strain Cantonized-white. Piperine was dissolved in 99% ethanol and added to the sucrose-yeast medium at a final concentration of 10, 35, 70, or 100 μM. The study examined the effects of piperine supplementation on the lifespan of D. melanogaster and other physiological functions, such as fecundity, feeding, lipid content, and resistance to environmental stress. Log-rank tests, Shapiro-Wilk test, F-test, t-test, or Wilcoxon rank sum test were used to analyze the data. Piperine failed to change the lifespan and body weight, but increased the fecundity and decreased the feeding rate in one-week-old flies. However, when piperine was fed to 30-day-old flies, it increased the lifespan of male flies and the fecundity and feeding rate of female flies. These results indicate that piperine can improve the health of aged flies. The findings suggest that piperine has age-dependent and sex-specific anti-aging effects in fruit flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hye-Yeon Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji-Hyeon Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Jisun Baek
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung A Cho
- Department of Biochemistry, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Jeonnam-do, 58128, Republic of Korea
- Research Center, Medispan Co., Ltd., Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13486, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Jin Min
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Inha University, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea.
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2
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Zhang X, Blaxter M, Wood JMD, Tracey A, McCarthy S, Thorpe P, Rayner JG, Zhang S, Sikkink KL, Balenger SL, Bailey NW. Temporal genomics in Hawaiian crickets reveals compensatory intragenomic coadaptation during adaptive evolution. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5001. [PMID: 38866741 PMCID: PMC11169259 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49344-4] [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: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Theory predicts that compensatory genetic changes reduce negative indirect effects of selected variants during adaptive evolution, but evidence is scarce. Here, we test this in a wild population of Hawaiian crickets using temporal genomics and a high-quality chromosome-level cricket genome. In this population, a mutation, flatwing, silences males and rapidly spread due to an acoustically-orienting parasitoid. Our sampling spanned a social transition during which flatwing fixed and the population went silent. We find long-range linkage disequilibrium around the putative flatwing locus was maintained over time, and hitchhiking genes had functions related to negative flatwing-associated effects. We develop a combinatorial enrichment approach using transcriptome data to test for compensatory, intragenomic coevolution. Temporal changes in genomic selection were distributed genome-wide and functionally associated with the population's transition to silence, particularly behavioural responses to silent environments. Our results demonstrate how 'adaptation begets adaptation'; changes to the sociogenetic environment accompanying rapid trait evolution can generate selection provoking further, compensatory adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Animal Diversity, College of Life Sciences, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China.
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK.
| | - Mark Blaxter
- Tree of Life, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Alan Tracey
- Tree of Life, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Peter Thorpe
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK
- Data Analysis Group, Division of Computational Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Jack G Rayner
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK
| | - Shangzhe Zhang
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK
| | | | - Susan L Balenger
- College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Nathan W Bailey
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, UK.
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3
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Arch M, Vidal M, Fuentes E, Abat AS, Cardona PJ. The reproductive status determines tolerance and resistance to Mycobacterium marinum in Drosophila melanogaster. Evol Med Public Health 2023; 11:332-347. [PMID: 37868078 PMCID: PMC10590161 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoad029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Sex and reproductive status of the host have a major impact on the immune response against infection. Our aim was to understand their impact on host tolerance or resistance in the systemic Mycobacterium marinum infection of Drosophila melanogaster. We measured host survival and bacillary load at time of death, as well as expression by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction of immune genes (diptericin and drosomycin). We also assessed the impact of metabolic and hormonal regulation in the protection against infection by measuring expression of upd3, impl2 and ecR. Our data showed increased resistance in actively mating flies and in mated females, while reducing their tolerance to infection. Data suggests that Toll and immune deficiency (Imd) pathways determine tolerance and resistance, respectively, while higher basal levels of ecR favours the stimulation of the Imd pathway. A dual role has been found for upd3 expression, linked to increased/decreased mycobacterial load at the beginning and later in infection, respectively. Finally, impl2 expression has been related to increased resistance in non-actively mating males. These results allow further assessment on the differences between sexes and highlights the role of the reproductive status in D. melanogaster to face infections, demonstrating their importance to determine resistance and tolerance against M. marinum infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Arch
- Tuberculosis Research Unit, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia (CMCiB), Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Maria Vidal
- Tuberculosis Research Unit, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Genetics and Microbiology Department, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Esther Fuentes
- Tuberculosis Research Unit, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia (CMCiB), Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Microbiology Department, Laboratori Clínic Metropolitana Nord, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, 08916 Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Anmaw Shite Abat
- Tuberculosis Research Unit, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Department of Veterinary Paraclinical Studies, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
| | - Pere-Joan Cardona
- Tuberculosis Research Unit, Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Comparative Medicine and Bioimage Centre of Catalonia (CMCiB), Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), 08916 Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Microbiology Department, Laboratori Clínic Metropolitana Nord, Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital, 08916 Badalona, Catalonia, Spain
- Genetics and Microbiology Department, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
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4
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Dong Y, Peng X, Hussain R, Niu T, Zhang H, Wang H, Xing LX, Wang R. Elevated expression of immune and DNA repair genes in mated queens and kings of the Reticulitermes chinensis termites. Exp Gerontol 2023; 178:112228. [PMID: 37271408 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2023.112228] [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: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Studies have identified that mating induces a series of physiological changes in animals. In this period, males tending to invest more energy, immune peptides, and other substances to reduce the cost of living for females. This results in lower survival rates in later life than females. Meanwhile, both males and females shorten lifespans due to reproduction. However, the reasons why termites' queens and kings are both extremely long-lived and highly fecund are unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the effects of mating on the expression of immune and DNA repair genes for lifespan extension in termite queens and kings. Here, we reported that mated queens show relatively higher expression of immune genes (phenoloxidase, denfensin, termicin, transferrin), antioxidant genes (CAT, SOD), detoxification genes (GST, CYP450) than virgin queens in the Reticulitermes chinensis. In addition, mated kings also highly expressed these genes, except for termicin, transferrin, GST, and CYP450. After mating, both queens and kings significantly upregulated the expression of DNA repair genes (MLH1, BRCA1, XRCC3, RAD54-like). Mismatch repair genes (MMR) MSH2, MSH4, MSH6 were considerably increased in mated queens, while MSH4, MSH5, MSH6 were upregulated in mated kings. Our results suggest that mating increases the expression of immune and DNA repair genes in the termite queens and kings, and thus possibly improving their survival during reproductive span due to the omnipresent pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Dong
- School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Xin Peng
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Riaz Hussain
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Tong Niu
- School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - He Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, China
| | - Huan Wang
- School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China
| | - Lian-Xi Xing
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
| | - Ruiwu Wang
- School of Ecology and Environment, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, China.
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5
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Liu J, He XZ, Zheng X, Zhang Y, Wang Q. Juvenile socio-sexual experience determines lifetime sperm expenditure and adult survival in a polygamous moth, Ephestia kuehniella. INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 30:232-240. [PMID: 35656827 PMCID: PMC10084429 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Male animals often adjust their sperm investment in response to sperm competition environment. To date, only a few studies have investigated how juvenile sociosexual settings affect sperm production before adulthood and sperm allocation during the first mating. Yet, it is unclear whether juvenile sociosexual experience (1) determines lifetime sperm production and allocation in any animal species; (2) alters the eupyrene : apyrene sperm ratio in lifetime ejaculates of any lepidopteran insects, and (3) influences lifetime ejaculation patterns, number of matings and adult longevity. Here we used a polygamous moth, Ephestia kuehniella, to address these questions. Upon male adult emergence from juveniles reared at different density and sex ratio, we paired each male with a virgin female daily until his death. We dissected each mated female to count the sperm transferred and recorded male longevity and lifetime number of matings. We demonstrate for the first time that males ejaculated significantly more eupyrenes and apyrenes in their lifetime after their young were exposed to juvenile rivals. Adult moths continued to produce eupyrene sperm, contradicting the previous predictions for lepidopterans. The eupyrene : apyrene ratio in the lifetime ejaculates remained unchanged in all treatments, suggesting that the sperm ratio is critical for reproductive success. Male juvenile exposure to other juveniles regardless of sex ratio caused significantly shorter adult longevity and faster decline in sperm ejaculation over successive matings. However, males from all treatments achieved similar number of matings in their lifetime. This study provides insight into adaptive resource allocation by males in response to juvenile sociosexual environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junyan Liu
- School of Agriculture and EnvironmentMassey UniversityPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
| | - Xiong Z. He
- School of Agriculture and EnvironmentMassey UniversityPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
| | - Xia‐Lin Zheng
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric‐Environment and Agric‐Products SafetyNational Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Science Education, College of Agriculture, Guangxi UniversityNanningChina
| | - Yujing Zhang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Agric‐Environment and Agric‐Products SafetyNational Demonstration Center for Experimental Plant Science Education, College of Agriculture, Guangxi UniversityNanningChina
| | - Qiao Wang
- School of Agriculture and EnvironmentMassey UniversityPalmerston NorthNew Zealand
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6
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Playing to the crowd: Using Drosophila to dissect mechanisms underlying plastic male strategies in sperm competition games. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
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7
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Corbally MK, Regan JC. Fly immunity comes of age: The utility of Drosophila as a model for studying variation in immunosenescence. FRONTIERS IN AGING 2022; 3:1016962. [PMID: 36268532 PMCID: PMC9576847 DOI: 10.3389/fragi.2022.1016962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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8
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Lund-Hansen KK, Kutzer MAM, Armitage SAO, Gornard S, Keilani H, Abbott JK. Female-limited X chromosome evolution reveals that lifespan is mainly modulated by interlocus rather than intralocus sexual conflict. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022; 76:120. [PMID: 35991525 PMCID: PMC9385781 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03231-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Sexual dimorphism in somatic investment may be shaped by two distinct forms of sexual conflict; under intralocus sexual conflict (IASC), males and females have different optimal levels of somatic investment but are constrained from reaching their respective optima by their shared genome, while under interlocus sexual conflict (IRSC), males and females have different optimal sexual strategies, which could have direct or indirect effects on levels of somatic investment. We investigated effects of IASC and IRSC on two aspects of somatic investment, immune defence strategies and longevity, using previously established female-limited experimental evolution lines in Drosophila melanogaster. We found little evidence for any effect of either type of sexual conflict on investment in the immune defence resistance or tolerance. Nor did we find convincing evidence that longevity is subject to IASC in this species. However, we did find evidence that increased female control over mating rate had important and opposite effects on longevity between the sexes. Specifically, females that had adapted to high levels of female control over mating had a longer lifespan when kept in mixed-sex groups, while males had shorter longevity, perhaps due to increased investment in post-copulatory sexual selection. These novel results show that female control over mating rates may have important and unexpected effects on patterns of somatic investment. Significance statement Sexual conflict occurs between the two sexes over numerous life history traits, and it is complex to disentangle how these traits interact and affect each other. Here we use a long-term evolution experiment to investigate sexual dimorphism in somatic maintenance. We found no effect of feminising the X chromosome on female immune defence. However, we did find that increased female control over mating rate resulted in longer female lifespan, but reduced male lifespan, and that these effects were dependent on social context (isolated or in mixed-sex groups). Unlike previous studies on the effect of sexual conflict on longevity, our experiment did not manipulate environmental conditions nor the adult sex ratio, which is likely to reduce both pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00265-022-03231-4.
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9
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Nath Das P, Kumar Basu A, Guru Prasad N. Increasing adult density compromises survival following bacterial infections in Drosophila melanogaster. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 141:104415. [PMID: 35753428 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2022.104415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The density-dependent prophylaxis hypothesis predicts that risk of pathogen transmission increases with increase in population density, and in response to this, organisms mount a prophylactic immune response when exposed to high density. This prophylactic response is expected to help organisms improve their chances of survival when exposed to pathogens. Alternatively, organisms living at high densities can exhibit compromised defense against pathogens due to lack of resources and density associated physiological stress; the crowding stress hypothesis. We housed adult Drosophila melanogaster flies at different densities and measured the effect this has on their post-infection survival and resistance to starvation. We find that flies housed at higher densities show greater mortality after being infected with bacterial pathogens, while also exhibiting increased resistance to starvation. Our results are more in line with the crowding stress hypothesis that postulates a compromised immune system when hosts are subjected to high densities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paresh Nath Das
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, India
| | - Aabeer Kumar Basu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, India
| | - Nagaraj Guru Prasad
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, India.
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10
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Deng D, Xing S, Liu X, Ji Q, Zhai Z, Peng W. Transcriptome analysis of sex-biased gene expression in the spotted-wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura). G3 GENES|GENOMES|GENETICS 2022; 12:6588685. [PMID: 35587603 PMCID: PMC9339319 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkac127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism occurs widely throughout insects and has profound influences on evolutionary path. Sex-biased genes are considered to account for most of phenotypic differences between sexes. In order to explore the sex-biased genes potentially associated with sexual dimorphism and sexual development in Drosophila suzukii, a major devastating and invasive crop pest, we conducted whole-organism transcriptome profiling and sex-biased gene expression analysis on adults of both sexes. We identified transcripts of genes involved in several sex-specific physiological and functional processes, including transcripts involved in sex determination, reproduction, olfaction, and innate immune signals. A total of 11,360 differentially expressed genes were identified in the comparison, and 1,957 differentially expressed genes were female-biased and 4,231 differentially expressed genes were male-biased. The pathway predominantly enriched for differentially expressed genes was related to spliceosome, which might reflect the differences in the alternative splicing mechanism between males and females. Twenty-two sex determination and 16 sex-related reproduction genes were identified, and expression pattern analysis revealed that the majority of genes were differentially expressed between sexes. Additionally, the differences in sex-specific olfactory and immune processes were analyzed and the sex-biased expression of these genes may play important roles in pheromone and odor detection, and immune response. As a valuable dataset, our sex-specific transcriptomic data can significantly contribute to the fundamental elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of sexual dimorphism in fruit flies, and may provide candidate genes potentially useful for the development of genetic sexing strains, an important tool for sterile insect technique applications against this economically important species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Deng
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Intestinal Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Hunan International Joint Laboratory of Animal Intestinal Ecology and Health, Hunan Normal University , Changsha 410081, China
| | - Shisi Xing
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Intestinal Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Hunan International Joint Laboratory of Animal Intestinal Ecology and Health, Hunan Normal University , Changsha 410081, China
| | - Xuxiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Biological Control, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Qinge Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops, Key Lab of Biopesticide and Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, Institute of Biological Control, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zongzhao Zhai
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Intestinal Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Hunan International Joint Laboratory of Animal Intestinal Ecology and Health, Hunan Normal University , Changsha 410081, China
| | - Wei Peng
- Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Intestinal Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Developmental Biology of Freshwater Fish, Hunan International Joint Laboratory of Animal Intestinal Ecology and Health, Hunan Normal University , Changsha 410081, China
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11
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Letendre C, Duffield KR, Sadd BM, Sakaluk SK, House CM, Hunt J. Genetic covariance in immune measures and pathogen resistance in decorated crickets is sex and pathogen specific. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:1471-1488. [PMID: 35470433 PMCID: PMC9545791 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13709] [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: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Insects are important models for studying immunity in an ecological and evolutionary context. Yet, most empirical work on the insect immune system has come from phenotypic studies meaning we have a limited understanding of the genetic architecture of immune function in the sexes. We use nine highly inbred lines to thoroughly examine the genetic relationships between a suite of commonly used immune assays (haemocyte count, implant encapsulation, total phenoloxidase activity, antibacterial zone of inhibition and pathogen clearance) and resistance to infection by three generalist insect pathogens (the gram‐negative bacterium Serratia marcescens, the gram‐positive bacterium Bacillus cereus and the fungus Metarhizium robertsii) in male and female Gryllodes sigillatus. There were consistent positive genetic correlations between haemocyte count, antibacterial and phenoloxidase activity and resistance to S. marcescens in both sexes, but these relationships were less consistent for resistance to B. cereus and M. robertsii. In addition, the clearance of S. marcescens was genetically correlated with the resistance to all three pathogens in both sexes. Genetic correlations between resistances to the different pathogen species were inconsistent, indicating that resistance to one pathogen does not necessarily mean resistance to another. Finally, while there is ample genetic (co)variance in immune assays and pathogen resistance, these genetic estimates differed across the sexes and many of these measures were not genetically correlated across the sexes, suggesting that these measures could evolve independently in the sexes. Our finding that the genetic architecture of immune function is sex and pathogen specific suggests that the evolution of immune function in male and female G. sigillatus is likely to be complex. Similar quantitative genetic studies that measure a large number of assays and resistance to multiple pathogens in both sexes are needed to ascertain if this complexity extends to other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corinne Letendre
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kristin R Duffield
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, United States of America.,Crop Bioprotection Research Unit, National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL, United States of America
| | - Ben M Sadd
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Scott K Sakaluk
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Clarissa M House
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia
| | - John Hunt
- School of Science, Western Sydney University, Hawkesbury Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Richmond, New South Wales, Australia.,Centre for Ecology and Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Tremough Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, United Kingdom
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12
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Chen M, Sokolowski MB. How Social Experience and Environment Impacts Behavioural Plasticity in Drosophila. Fly (Austin) 2021; 16:68-84. [PMID: 34852730 DOI: 10.1080/19336934.2021.1989248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
An organism's behaviour is influenced by its social environment. Experiences such as social isolation or crowding may have profound short or long-term effects on an individual's behaviour. The composition of the social environment also depends on the genetics and previous experiences of the individuals present, leading to additional potential outcomes from each social interaction. In this article, we review selected literature related to the social environment of the model organism Drosophila melanogaster, and how Drosophila respond to variation in their social experiences throughout their lifetimes. We focus on the effects of social environment on behavioural phenotypes such as courtship, aggression, and group dynamics, as well as other phenotypes such as development and physiology. The consequences of phenotypic plasticity due to social environment are discussed with respect to the ecology and evolution of Drosophila. We also relate these studies to laboratory research practices involving Drosophila and other animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly Chen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Current Affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 Canada
| | - Marla B Sokolowski
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Child and Brain Development Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR), Toronto, Ontario M5G 1Z8, Canada
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13
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Bailey NW, Desjonquères C, Drago A, Rayner JG, Sturiale SL, Zhang X. A neglected conceptual problem regarding phenotypic plasticity's role in adaptive evolution: The importance of genetic covariance and social drive. Evol Lett 2021; 5:444-457. [PMID: 34621532 PMCID: PMC8484725 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
There is tantalizing evidence that phenotypic plasticity can buffer novel, adaptive genetic variants long enough to permit their evolutionary spread, and this process is often invoked in explanations for rapid adaptive evolution. However, the strength and generality of evidence for it is controversial. We identify a conceptual problem affecting this debate: recombination, segregation, and independent assortment are expected to quickly sever associations between genes controlling novel adaptations and genes contributing to trait plasticity that facilitates the novel adaptations by reducing their indirect fitness costs. To make clearer predictions about this role of plasticity in facilitating genetic adaptation, we describe a testable genetic mechanism that resolves the problem: genetic covariance between new adaptive variants and trait plasticity that facilitates their persistence within populations. We identify genetic architectures that might lead to such a covariance, including genetic coupling via physical linkage and pleiotropy, and illustrate the consequences for adaptation rates using numerical simulations. Such genetic covariances may also arise from the social environment, and we suggest the indirect genetic effects that result could further accentuate the process of adaptation. We call the latter mechanism of adaptation social drive, and identify methods to test it. We suggest that genetic coupling of plasticity and adaptations could promote unusually rapid ‘runaway’ evolution of novel adaptations. The resultant dynamics could facilitate evolutionary rescue, adaptive radiations, the origin of novelties, and other commonly studied processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan W Bailey
- School of Biology University of St Andrews St Andrews KY16 9TH United Kingdom
| | - Camille Desjonquères
- School of Biology University of St Andrews St Andrews KY16 9TH United Kingdom.,Department of Biological Sciences University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Milwaukee Wisconsin 53201
| | - Ana Drago
- School of Biology University of St Andrews St Andrews KY16 9TH United Kingdom
| | - Jack G Rayner
- School of Biology University of St Andrews St Andrews KY16 9TH United Kingdom
| | - Samantha L Sturiale
- School of Biology University of St Andrews St Andrews KY16 9TH United Kingdom.,Current Address: Department of Biology Georgetown University Washington DC 20057
| | - Xiao Zhang
- School of Biology University of St Andrews St Andrews KY16 9TH United Kingdom
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14
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Leech T, McDowall L, Hopkins KP, Sait SM, Harrison XA, Bretman A. Social environment drives sex and age-specific variation in Drosophila melanogaster microbiome composition and predicted function. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:5831-5843. [PMID: 34494339 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Social environments influence multiple traits of individuals including immunity, stress and ageing, often in sex-specific ways. The composition of the microbiome (the assemblage of symbiotic microorganisms within a host) is determined by environmental factors and the host's immune, endocrine and neural systems. The social environment could alter host microbiomes extrinsically by affecting transmission between individuals, probably promoting homogeneity in the microbiome of social partners. Alternatively, intrinsic effects arising from interactions between the microbiome and host physiology (the microbiota-gut-brain axis) could translate social stress into dysbiotic microbiomes, with consequences for host health. We investigated how manipulating social environments during larval and adult life-stages altered the microbiome composition of Drosophila melanogaster fruit flies. We used social contexts that particularly alter the development and lifespan of males, predicting that any intrinsic social effects on the microbiome would therefore be sex-specific. The presence of adult males during the larval stage significantly altered the microbiome of pupae of both sexes. In adults, same-sex grouping increased bacterial diversity in both sexes. Importantly, the microbiome community structure of males was more sensitive to social contact at older ages, an effect partially mitigated by housing focal males with young rather than coaged groups. Functional analyses suggest that these microbiome changes impact ageing and immune responses. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the substantial effects of the social environment on individual health are mediated through intrinsic effects on the microbiome, and provides a model for understanding the mechanistic basis of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Leech
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.,Max Planck Institute for Biology of Ageing, Köln, Germany
| | - Laurin McDowall
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.,School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Kevin P Hopkins
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Steven M Sait
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Xavier A Harrison
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK.,Centre for Ecology & Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Amanda Bretman
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
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15
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Quigley TP, Amdam GV. Social modulation of ageing: mechanisms, ecology, evolution. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20190738. [PMID: 33678020 PMCID: PMC7938163 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Human life expectancy increases, but the disease-free part of lifespan (healthspan) and the quality of life in old people may not show the same development. The situation poses considerable challenges to healthcare systems and economies, and calls for new strategies to increase healthspan and for sustainable future approaches to elder care. This call has motivated innovative research on the role of social relationships during ageing. Correlative data from clinical surveys indicate that social contact promotes healthy ageing, and it is time to reveal the causal mechanisms through experimental research. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is a prolific model animal, but insects with more developed social behaviour can be equally instrumental for this research. Here, we discuss the role of social contact in ageing, and identify lines of study where diverse insect models can help uncover the mechanisms that are involved. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ageing and sociality: why, when and how does sociality change ageing patterns?'
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler P. Quigley
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, PO Box 874501, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Gro V. Amdam
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, PO Box 874501, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, PO Box 5002, N-1432 Aas, Norway
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16
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Does CSR Governance Improve Social Sustainability and Reduce the Carbon Footprint: International Evidence from the Energy Sector. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13073596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
In today’s world, the energy sector is considered the backbone of any economy and plays a key role in carbon trading markets and mitigation actions. This study explores the impact of CSR governance on carbon footprints and the social performances of the energy sector. Using an international sample of 45 countries from 2002 to 2017, we find that the existence of a CSR committee improves the firm’s social responsibility and effectively mitigates the carbon footprint. Further, our results present that a large CSR committee with more experienced board members are effective to implement sustainable business practices. Furthermore, a CSR committee with experienced board members does not mitigate the environmental and social concerns, when energy firms have more powerful CEOs. Collectively, our evidence indicates that the existence of CSR governance is favorable to focus on social issues than environmental ones.
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17
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van Lieshout SHJ, Badás EP, Mason MWT, Newman C, Buesching CD, Macdonald DW, Dugdale HL. Social effects on age-related and sex-specific immune cell profiles in a wild mammal. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200234. [PMID: 32673548 PMCID: PMC7423055 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence for age-related changes in innate and adaptive immune responses is increasing in wild populations. Such changes have been linked to fitness, and knowledge of the factors driving immune response variation is important for understanding the evolution of immunity. Age-related changes in immune profiles may be owing to factors such as immune system development, sex-specific behaviour and responses to environmental conditions. Social environments may also contribute to variation in immunological responses, for example, through transmission of pathogens and stress arising from resource and mate competition. Yet, the impact of the social environment on age-related changes in immune cell profiles is currently understudied in the wild. Here, we tested the relationship between leukocyte cell composition (proportion of neutrophils and lymphocytes [innate and adaptive immunity, respectively] that were lymphocytes) and age, sex and group size in a wild population of European badgers (Meles meles). We found that the proportion of lymphocytes in early life was greater in males in smaller groups compared to larger groups, but with a faster age-related decline in smaller groups. By contrast, the proportion of lymphocytes in females was not significantly related to age or group size. Our results provide evidence of sex-specific age-related changes in immune cell profiles in a wild mammal, which are influenced by the social environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sil H J van Lieshout
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Elisa P Badás
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Michael W T Mason
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Chris Newman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX13 5QL, UK
| | - Christina D Buesching
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX13 5QL, UK
| | - David W Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX13 5QL, UK
| | - Hannah L Dugdale
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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18
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Animals have a Plan B: how insects deal with the dual challenge of predators and pathogens. J Comp Physiol B 2020; 190:381-390. [PMID: 32529590 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-020-01282-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
When animals are faced with a life-threatening challenge, they mount an organism-wide response (i.e. Plan A). For example, both the stress response (i.e. fight-or-flight) and the immune response recruit molecular resources from other body tissues, and induce physiological changes that optimize the body for defense. However, pathogens and predators often co-occur. Animals that can optimize responses for a dual challenge, i.e. simultaneous predator and pathogen attacks, will have a selective advantage. Responses to a combined predator and pathogen attack have not been well studied, but this paper summarizes the existing literature in insects. The response to dual challenges (i.e. Plan B) results in a suite of physiological changes that are different from either the stress response or the immune response, and is not a simple summation of the two. It is also not a straight-forward trade-off of one response against the other. The response to a dual challenge (i.e. Plan B) appears to resolve physiological trade-offs between the stress and immune responses, and reconfigures both responses to provide the best overall defense. However, the dual response appears to be more costly than either response occurring singly, resulting in greater damage from oxidative stress, reduced growth rate, and increased mortality.
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19
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Belmonte RL, Corbally MK, Duneau DF, Regan JC. Sexual Dimorphisms in Innate Immunity and Responses to Infection in Drosophila melanogaster. Front Immunol 2020; 10:3075. [PMID: 32076419 PMCID: PMC7006818 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.03075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The sexes show profound differences in responses to infection and the development of autoimmunity. Dimorphisms in immune responses are ubiquitous across taxa, from arthropods to vertebrates. Drosophila melanogaster shows strong sex dimorphisms in immune system responses at baseline, upon pathogenic challenge, and over aging. We have performed an exhaustive survey of peer-reviewed literature on Drosophila immunity, and present a database of publications indicating the sex(es) analyzed in each study. While we found a growing interest in the community in adult immunity and in reporting both sexes, the main body of work in this field uses only one sex, or does not stratify by sex. We synthesize evidence for sexually dimorphic responses to bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Dimorphisms may be mediated by distinct immune compartments, and we review work on sex differences in behavioral, epithelial, cellular, and systemic (fat body-mediated) immunity. Emerging work on sexually dimorphic aging of immune tissues, immune senescence, and inflammation are examined. We consider evolutionary drivers for sex differences in immune investment, highlight the features of Drosophila biology that make it particularly amenable to studies of immune dimorphisms, and discuss areas for future exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L. Belmonte
- Institute of Immunology & Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Mary-Kate Corbally
- Institute of Immunology & Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - David F. Duneau
- Laboratoire Evolution & Diversite Biologique, UMR5174 EDB, CNRS, Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Jennifer C. Regan
- Institute of Immunology & Infection Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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