1
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Qiu GH, Fu M, Zheng X, Huang C. Protection of the genome and the central exome by peripheral non-coding DNA against DNA damage in health, ageing and age-related diseases. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 39327815 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2024] [Accepted: 09/18/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
DNA in eukaryotic genomes is under constant assault from both exogenous and endogenous sources, leading to DNA damage, which is considered a major molecular driver of ageing. Fortunately, the genome and the central exome are safeguarded against these attacks by abundant peripheral non-coding DNA. Non-coding DNA codes for small non-coding RNAs that inactivate foreign nucleic acids in the cytoplasm and physically blocks these attacks in the nucleus. Damage to non-coding DNA produced during such blockage is removed in the form of extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) through nucleic pore complexes. Consequently, non-coding DNA serves as a line of defence for the exome against DNA damage. The total amount of non-coding DNA/heterochromatin declines with age, resulting in a decrease in both physical blockage and eccDNA exclusion, and thus an increase in the accumulation of DNA damage in the nucleus during ageing and in age-related diseases. Here, we summarize recent evidence supporting a protective role of non-coding DNA in healthy and pathological states and argue that DNA damage is the proximate cause of ageing and age-related genetic diseases. Strategies aimed at strengthening the protective role of non-coding DNA/heterochromatin could potentially offer better systematic protection for the dynamic genome and the exome against diverse assaults, reduce the burden of DNA damage to the exome, and thus slow ageing, counteract age-related genetic diseases and promote a healthier life for individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo-Hua Qiu
- College of Life Sciences, Longyan University, Longyan, 364012, People's Republic of China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology, Engineering Research Center for the Prevention and Control of Animal-Origin Zoonosis, Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology, Fujian Province Universities, Longyan, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingjun Fu
- College of Life Sciences, Longyan University, Longyan, 364012, People's Republic of China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology, Engineering Research Center for the Prevention and Control of Animal-Origin Zoonosis, Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology, Fujian Province Universities, Longyan, People's Republic of China
| | - Xintian Zheng
- College of Life Sciences, Longyan University, Longyan, 364012, People's Republic of China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology, Engineering Research Center for the Prevention and Control of Animal-Origin Zoonosis, Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology, Fujian Province Universities, Longyan, People's Republic of China
| | - Cuiqin Huang
- College of Life Sciences, Longyan University, Longyan, 364012, People's Republic of China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology, Engineering Research Center for the Prevention and Control of Animal-Origin Zoonosis, Key Laboratory for the Prevention and Control of Animal Infectious Diseases and Biotechnology, Fujian Province Universities, Longyan, People's Republic of China
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2
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Chik HYJ, Mannarelli ME, Dos Remedios N, Simons MJP, Burke T, Schroeder J, Dugdale HL. Adult telomere length is positively correlated with survival and lifetime reproductive success in a wild passerine. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17455. [PMID: 38993011 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17455] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Explaining variation in individual fitness is a key goal in evolutionary biology. Recently, telomeres, repeating DNA sequences capping chromosome ends, have gained attention as a biomarker for body state, physiological costs, and senescence. Existing research has provided mixed evidence for whether telomere length correlates with fitness, including survival and reproductive output. Moreover, few studies have examined how the rate of change in telomere length correlates with fitness in wild populations. Here, we intensively monitored an insular population of house sparrows, and collected longitudinal telomere and life history data (16 years, 1225 individuals). We tested whether telomere length and its rate of change predict fitness measures, namely survival, lifespan and annual and lifetime reproductive effort and success. Telomere length positively predicted short-term survival, independent of age, but did not predict lifespan, suggesting either a diminishing telomere length-survival correlation with age or other extrinsic factors of mortality. The positive association of telomere length with survival translated into reproductive benefits, as birds with longer telomeres produced more genetic recruits, hatchlings and reared more fledglings over their lifetime. In contrast, there was no association between telomere dynamics and annual reproductive output, suggesting telomere dynamics might not reflect the costs of reproduction in this population, potentially masked by variation in individual quality. The rate of change of telomere length did not correlate with neither lifespan nor lifetime reproductive success. Our results provide further evidence that telomere length correlates with fitness, and contribute to our understanding of the selection on, and evolution of, telomere dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heung Ying Janet Chik
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Maria-Elena Mannarelli
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norfolk, UK
| | - Natalie Dos Remedios
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- School of Social Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Mirre J P Simons
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Terry Burke
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Julia Schroeder
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London Silwood Park, Ascot, UK
| | - Hannah L Dugdale
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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3
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Ravindran S, Underwood SL, Dorrens J, Seeker LA, Watt K, Wilbourn RV, Sparks AM, Sinclair R, Chen Z, Pilkington JG, McNeilly TN, Harrington L, Pemberton JM, Nussey DH, Froy H. No correlative evidence of costs of infection or immunity on leucocyte telomere length in a wild population of Soay sheep. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232946. [PMID: 38565156 PMCID: PMC10987235 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2946] [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: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomere length (TL) is a biomarker hypothesized to capture evolutionarily and ecologically important physiological costs of reproduction, infection and immunity. Few studies have estimated the relationships among infection status, immunity, TL and fitness in natural systems. The hypothesis that short telomeres predict reduced survival because they reflect costly consequences of infection and immune investment remains largely untested. Using longitudinal data from a free-living Soay sheep population, we tested whether leucocyte TL was predicted by infection with nematode parasites and antibody levels against those parasites. Helminth parasite burdens were positively associated with leucocyte TL in both lambs and adults, which is not consistent with TL reflecting infection costs. We found no association between TL and helminth-specific IgG levels in either young or old individuals which suggests TL does not reflect costs of an activated immune response or immunosenescence. Furthermore, we found no support for TL acting as a mediator of trade-offs between infection, immunity and subsequent survival in the wild. Our results suggest that while variation in TL could reflect short-term variation in resource investment or environmental conditions, it does not capture costs of infection and immunity, nor does it behave like a marker of an individual's helminth-specific antibody immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjana Ravindran
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Sarah L. Underwood
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Jennifer Dorrens
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Luise A. Seeker
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Kathryn Watt
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Rachael V. Wilbourn
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Alexandra M. Sparks
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Rona Sinclair
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Zhulin Chen
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Jill G. Pilkington
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Tom N. McNeilly
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik EH26 0PZ, UK
| | - Lea Harrington
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada H3C 3J7
| | - Josephine M. Pemberton
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Daniel H. Nussey
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
| | - Hannah Froy
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3FL, UK
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4
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Blanco MB, Smith DL, Greene LK, Yoder AD, Ehmke EE, Lin J, Klopfer PH. Telomere dynamics during hibernation in a tropical primate. J Comp Physiol B 2024; 194:213-219. [PMID: 38466418 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-024-01541-9] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Hibernation is a widespread metabolic strategy among mammals for surviving periods of food scarcity. During hibernation, animals naturally alternate between metabolically depressed torpor bouts and energetically expensive arousals without ill effects. As a result, hibernators are promising models for investigating mechanisms that buffer against cellular stress, including telomere protection and restoration. In non-hibernators, telomeres, the protective structural ends of chromosomes, shorten with age and metabolic stress. In temperate hibernators, however, telomere shortening and elongation can occur in response to changing environmental conditions and associated metabolic state. We investigate telomere dynamics in a tropical hibernating primate, the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius). In captivity, these lemurs can hibernate when maintained under cold temperatures (11-15 °C) with limited food provisioning. We study telomere dynamics in eight fat-tailed dwarf lemurs at the Duke Lemur Center, USA, from samples collected before, during, and after the hibernation season and assayed via qPCR. Contrary to our predictions, we found that telomeres were maintained or even lengthened during hibernation, but shortened immediately thereafter. During hibernation, telomere lengthening was negatively correlated with time in euthermia. Although preliminary in scope, our findings suggest that there may be a preemptive, compensatory mechanism to maintain telomere integrity in dwarf lemurs during hibernation. Nevertheless, telomere shortening immediately afterward may broadly result in similar outcomes across seasons. Future studies could profitably investigate the mechanisms that offset telomere shortening within and outside of the hibernation season and whether those mechanisms are modulated by energy surplus or crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- M B Blanco
- Duke Lemur Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA.
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
| | - D L Smith
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - L K Greene
- Duke Lemur Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - A D Yoder
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - E E Ehmke
- Duke Lemur Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA
| | - J Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - P H Klopfer
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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5
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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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6
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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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7
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Gómez‐Blanco D, Tobler M, Hasselquist D. Why and when should organisms elongate their telomeres? Elaborations on the 'excess resources elongation' and 'last resort elongation' hypotheses. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10825. [PMID: 38099139 PMCID: PMC10719541 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere length and telomere shortening are thought to be critical cellular attributes and processes that are related to an individual's life span and fitness. The general pattern across most taxa is that after birth telomere length gradually decreases with age. Telomere protection and restoration mechanisms are usually assumed to reduce the rate of shortening or at most keep telomere length constant. However, here we have compiled a list of 26 articles showing that there is an increasing number of studies reporting apparent elongation of telomeres (i.e., a net increase in TL from timet to timet+1) often in a considerable proportion of the individuals studied. Moreover, the few studies which have studied telomere elongation in detail show that increases in telomere length are unlikely to be due to measurement error alone. In this article, we argue that episodes of telomere elongation deserve more attention as they could reflect individual strategies to optimise life histories and maximise fitness, which may not be reflected in the overall telomere dynamics patterns. We propose that patterns of telomere (net) elongation may be partly determined by other factors than those causing telomere shortening, and therefore deserve analyses specifically targeted to investigate the occurrence of telomere elongation. We elaborate on two ecological hypotheses that have been proposed to explain patterns of telomere elongation (the 'excess resources elongation' and the 'last resort elongation' hypothesis) and we discuss the current evidence for (or against) these hypotheses and propose ways to test them.
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8
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Power ML, Ransome RD, Riquier S, Romaine L, Jones G, Teeling EC. Hibernation telomere dynamics in a shifting climate: insights from wild greater horseshoe bats. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231589. [PMID: 37817598 PMCID: PMC10565397 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Hibernation is linked with various hypotheses to explain the extended lifespan of hibernating mammals compared with their non-hibernating counterparts. Studies on telomeres, markers of ageing and somatic maintenance, suggest telomere shortening slows during hibernation, and lengthening may reflect self-maintenance with favourable conditions. Bats in temperate zones adjust body temperatures during winter torpor to conserve energy and exploit mild conditions for foraging. Climate change may impact the hibernation cycle of bats, but more research is needed regarding the role of telomeres in understanding their response to a changing climate. Here, relative telomere length (rTL) was measured in the long-lived greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (n = 223 individuals) over three winters, considering climatic conditions. Cross-sectional analyses revealed between-individual variation in rTL with a strong year effect, likely linked to varying weather conditions and foraging success. Additionally, within-individual increases of rTL occurred in 51% of consecutive measurements, with evidence of increasing telomerase expression during hibernation in this species. These findings highlight the beneficial effects of hibernation on telomeres and potential consequences of changing climatic conditions for long-lived temperate bats. Understanding the interplay between hibernation, telomeres, and climate can provide insights into the adaptive capacity and survival of bat populations facing environmental challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Power
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland
| | - Roger D Ransome
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Sébastien Riquier
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland
| | - Luke Romaine
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Gareth Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Emma C Teeling
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland
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9
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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: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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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10
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Rieseberg L, Warschefsky E, Ortiz-Barrientos D, Kane NC, Thresher K, Sibbett B. Editorial 2023. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:1-25. [PMID: 36573261 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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11
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Worsley SF, Davies CS, Mannarelli ME, Komdeur J, Dugdale HL, Richardson DS. Assessing the causes and consequences of gut mycobiome variation in a wild population of the Seychelles warbler. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:242. [PMID: 36575553 PMCID: PMC9795730 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-022-01432-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Considerable research has focussed on the importance of bacterial communities within the vertebrate gut microbiome (GM). However, studies investigating the significance of other microbial kingdoms, such as fungi, are notably lacking, despite their potential to influence host processes. Here, we characterise the fungal GM of individuals living in a natural population of Seychelles warblers (Acrocephalus sechellensis). We evaluate the extent to which fungal GM structure is shaped by environment and host factors, including genome-wide heterozygosity and variation at key immune genes (major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and Toll-like receptor (TLR)). Importantly, we also explore the relationship between fungal GM differences and subsequent host survival. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the genetic drivers and fitness consequences of fungal GM variation have been characterised for a wild vertebrate population. RESULTS Environmental factors, including season and territory quality, explain the largest proportion of variance in the fungal GM. In contrast, neither host age, sex, genome-wide heterozygosity, nor TLR3 genotype was associated with fungal GM differences in Seychelles warblers. However, the presence of four MHC-I alleles and one MHC-II allele was associated with changes in fungal GM alpha diversity. Changes in fungal richness ranged from between 1 and 10 sequencing variants lost or gained; in some cases, this accounted for 20% of the fungal variants carried by an individual. In addition to this, overall MHC-I allelic diversity was associated with small, but potentially important, changes in fungal GM composition. This is evidenced by the fact that fungal GM composition differed between individuals that survived or died within 7 months of being sampled. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that environmental factors play a primary role in shaping the fungal GM, but that components of the host immune system-specifically the MHC-may also contribute to the variation in fungal communities across individuals within wild populations. Furthermore, variation in the fungal GM can be associated with differential survival in the wild. Further work is needed to establish the causality of such relationships and, thus, the extent to which components of the GM may impact host evolution. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah F Worsley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK.
| | - Charli S Davies
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
- NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Maria-Elena Mannarelli
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hannah L Dugdale
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, P.O. Box 11103, 9700 CC, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
| | - David S Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, UK.
- Nature Seychelles, Roche Caiman, Mahé, Republic of Seychelles.
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12
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Monaghan P, Olsson M, Richardson DS, Verhulst S, Rogers SM. Integrating telomere biology into the ecology and evolution of natural populations: Progress and prospects. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:5909-5916. [PMID: 36330668 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Pat Monaghan
- Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, Institute of Biodiversity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Mats Olsson
- Department of BioEnv - Zoologen, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - David S Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
| | - Simon Verhulst
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sean M Rogers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, Bamfield, British Columbia, Canada
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13
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Pepke ML, Kvalnes T, Ranke PS, Araya‐Ajoy YG, Wright J, Sæther B, Jensen H, Ringsby TH. Causes and consequences of variation in early-life telomere length in a bird metapopulation. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9144. [PMID: 35923948 PMCID: PMC9339764 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Environmental conditions during early-life development can have lasting effects shaping individual heterogeneity in fitness and fitness-related traits. The length of telomeres, the DNA sequences protecting chromosome ends, may be affected by early-life conditions, and telomere length (TL) has been associated with individual performance within some wild animal populations. Thus, knowledge of the mechanisms that generate variation in TL, and the relationship between TL and fitness, is important in understanding the role of telomeres in ecology and life-history evolution. Here, we investigate how environmental conditions and morphological traits are associated with early-life blood TL and if TL predicts natal dispersal probability or components of fitness in 2746 wild house sparrow (Passer domesticus) nestlings from two populations sampled across 20 years (1994-2013). We retrieved weather data and we monitored population fluctuations, individual survival, and reproductive output using field observations and genetic pedigrees. We found a negative effect of population density on TL, but only in one of the populations. There was a curvilinear association between TL and the maximum daily North Atlantic Oscillation index during incubation, suggesting that there are optimal weather conditions that result in the longest TL. Dispersers tended to have shorter telomeres than non-dispersers. TL did not predict survival, but we found a tendency for individuals with short telomeres to have higher annual reproductive success. Our study showed how early-life TL is shaped by effects of growth, weather conditions, and population density, supporting that environmental stressors negatively affect TL in wild populations. In addition, shorter telomeres may be associated with a faster pace-of-life, as individuals with higher dispersal rates and annual reproduction tended to have shorter early-life TL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Le Pepke
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Thomas Kvalnes
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Peter Sjolte Ranke
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Yimen G. Araya‐Ajoy
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Jonathan Wright
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Bernt‐Erik Sæther
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Henrik Jensen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
| | - Thor Harald Ringsby
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics (CBD)Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)TrondheimNorway
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14
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Brown TJ, Dugdale HL, Hammers M, Komdeur J, Richardson DS. Seychelles warblers with silver spoons: Juvenile body mass is a lifelong predictor of annual survival, but not annual reproduction or senescence. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9049. [PMID: 35813920 PMCID: PMC9251861 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The environment experienced during development, and its impact on intrinsic condition, can have lasting outcomes for individual phenotypes and could contribute to variation in adult senescence trajectories. However, the nature of this relationship in wild populations remains uncertain, owing to the difficulties in summarizing natal conditions and in long-term monitoring of individuals from free-roaming long-lived species. Utilizing a closely monitored, closed population of Seychelles warblers (Acrocephalus sechellensis), we determine whether juvenile body mass is associated with natal socioenvironmental factors, specific genetic traits linked to fitness in this system, survival to adulthood, and senescence-related traits. Juveniles born in seasons with higher food availability and into smaller natal groups (i.e., fewer competitors) were heavier. In contrast, there were no associations between juvenile body mass and genetic traits. Furthermore, size-corrected mass-but not separate measures of natal food availability, group size, or genetic traits-was positively associated with survival to adulthood, suggesting juvenile body mass is indicative of natal condition. Heavier juveniles had greater body mass and had higher rates of annual survival as adults, independent of age. In contrast, there was no association between juvenile mass and adult telomere length attrition (a measure of somatic stress) nor annual reproduction. These results indicate that juvenile body mass, while not associated with senescence trajectories, can influence the likelihood of surviving to old age, potentially due to silver-spoon effects. This study shows that measures of intrinsic condition in juveniles can provide important insights into the long-term fitness of individuals in wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J. Brown
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
| | - Hannah L. Dugdale
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Martijn Hammers
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - David S. Richardson
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichUK
- Nature SeychellesVictoria, MahéSeychelles
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15
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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] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [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
Abstract
Environmental conditions experienced during early life may have long-lasting effects on later-life phenotypes and fitness. Individuals experiencing poor early-life conditions may suffer subsequent fitness constraints. Alternatively, individuals may use a strategic "Predictive Adaptive Response" (PAR), whereby they respond-in terms of physiology or life-history strategy-to the conditions experienced in early life to maximize later-life fitness. Particularly, the Future Lifespan Expectation (FLE) PAR hypothesis predicts that when poor early-life conditions negatively impact an individual's physiological state, it will accelerate its reproductive schedule to maximize fitness during its shorter predicted life span. We aimed to measure the impact of early-life conditions and resulting fitness across individual lifetimes to test predictions of the FLE hypothesis in a wild, long-lived model species. Using a long-term individual-based dataset, we investigated how early-life conditions are linked with subsequent fitness in an isolated population of the Seychelles warbler Acrocephalus sechellensis. How individuals experience early-life environmental conditions may vary greatly, so we also tested whether telomere length-shorter telomers are a biomarker of an individual's exposure to stress-can provide an effective measure of the individual-specific impact of early-life conditions. Specifically, under the FLE hypothesis, we would expect shorter telomeres to be associated with accelerated reproduction. Contrary to expectations, shorter juvenile telomere length was not associated with poor early-life conditions, but instead with better conditions, probably as a result of faster juvenile growth. Furthermore, neither juvenile telomere length, nor other measures of early-life conditions, were associated with age of first reproduction or the number of offspring produced during early life in either sex. We found no support for the FLE hypothesis. However, for males, poor early-life body condition was associated with lower first-year survival and reduced longevity, indicating that poor early-life conditions pose subsequent fitness constraints. Our results also showed that using juvenile telomere length as a measure of early-life conditions requires caution, as it is likely to not only reflect environmental stress but also other processes such as growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janske van de Crommenacker
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES)University of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Martijn Hammers
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES)University of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Hannah L. Dugdale
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES)University of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
- Faculty of Biological SciencesSchool of BiologyUniversity of LeedsLeedsUK
| | - Terry A. Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES)University of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - David S. Richardson
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorfolkUK
- Nature SeychellesRoche CaimanMahéSeychelles
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16
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Bennett S, Girndt A, Sánchez-Tójar A, Burke T, Simons M, Schroeder J. Evidence of Paternal Effects on Telomere Length Increases in Early Life. Front Genet 2022; 13:880455. [PMID: 35656320 PMCID: PMC9152208 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.880455] [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: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Offspring of older parents in many species have decreased longevity, a faster ageing rate and lower fecundity than offspring born to younger parents. Biomarkers of ageing, such as telomeres, that tend to shorten as individuals age, may provide insight into the mechanisms of such parental age effects. Parental age may be associated with offspring telomere length either directly through inheritance of shortened telomeres or indirectly, for example, through changes in parental care in older parents affecting offspring telomere length. Across the literature there is considerable variation in estimates of the heritability of telomere length, and in the direction and extent of parental age effects on telomere length. To address this, we experimentally tested how parental age is associated with the early-life telomere dynamics of chicks at two time points in a captive population of house sparrows Passer domesticus. We experimentally separated parental age from sex effects, and removed effects of age-assortative mating, by allowing the parent birds to only mate with young, or old partners. The effect of parental age was dependent on the sex of the parent and the chicks, and was found in the father-daughter relationship only; older fathers produced daughters with longer telomere lengths post-fledging. Overall we found that chick telomere length increased between the age of 0.5 and 3 months at the population and individual level. This finding is unusual in birds with such increases more commonly associated with non-avian taxa. Our results suggest parental age effects on telomere length are sex-specific either through indirect or direct inheritance. The study of similar patterns in different species and taxa will help us further understand variation in telomere length and its evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Bennett
- Division of Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, United Kingdom
| | - Antje Girndt
- Division of Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Alfredo Sánchez-Tójar
- Division of Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.,Department of Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Terry Burke
- School of Biosciences, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Mirre Simons
- School of Biosciences, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Julia Schroeder
- Division of Biology, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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17
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Tissier ML, Bergeron P, Garant D, Zahn S, Criscuolo F, Réale D. Telomere length positively correlates with pace-of-life in a sex- and cohort-specific way and elongates with age in a wild mammal. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:3812-3826. [PMID: 35575903 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Understanding ageing and the diversity of life histories is a cornerstone in biology. Telomeres, the protecting caps of chromosomes, are thought to be involved in ageing, cancer risks and life-history strategies. They shorten with cell division and age in somatic tissues of most species, possibly limiting lifespan. The resource allocation trade-off hypothesis predicts that short telomeres have thus co-evolved with early reproduction, proactive behaviour and reduced lifespan, i.e. a fast Pace-of-Life Syndrome (POLS). Conversely, since short telomeres may also reduce the risks of cancer, the anti-cancer hypothesis advances that they should be associated with slow POLS. Conclusion on which hypothesis best supports the role of telomeres as mediators of life-history strategies is hampered by a lack of study on wild short-lived vertebrates, apart from birds. Using seven years of data on wild Eastern chipmunks Tamias striatus, we highlighted that telomeres elongate with age (n = 204 and n = 20) and do not limit lifespan in this species (n = 51). Furthermore, short telomeres correlated with a slow POLS in a sex-specific way (n = 37). Females with short telomeres had a delayed age at first breeding and a lower fecundity rate than females with long telomeres, while we found no differences in males. Our findings support most predictions adapted from the anti-cancer hypothesis, but none of those from the resource allocation trade-off hypothesis. Results are in line with an increasing body of evidence suggesting that other evolutionary forces than resource allocation trade-offs shape the diversity of telomere length in adult somatic cells and the relationships between telomere length and life-histories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde L Tissier
- Biological Sciences, Bishop's University, 2600 Rue College, Québec, Canada.,Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Patrick Bergeron
- Biological Sciences, Bishop's University, 2600 Rue College, Québec, Canada
| | - Dany Garant
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Sandrine Zahn
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, Strasbourg, France
| | | | - Denis Réale
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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