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Aprison EZ, Dzitoyeva S, Ruvinsky I. The roles of TGFβ and serotonin signaling in regulating proliferation of oocyte precursors and germline aging. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.08.593208. [PMID: 38766220 PMCID: PMC11100717 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.08.593208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
The decline of oocyte quality in aging but otherwise relatively healthy individuals compels a search for underlying mechanisms. Building upon a finding that exposure to male pheromone ascr#10 improves oocyte quality in C. elegans, we uncovered a regulatory cascade that promotes proliferation of oocyte precursors in adults and regulates oocyte quality. We found that the male pheromone promotes proliferation of oocyte precursors by upregulating LAG-2, a ligand of the Notch-like pathway in the germline stem cell niche. LAG-2 is upregulated by a TGFβ-like ligand DAF-7 revealing similarity of regulatory mechanisms that promote germline proliferation in adults and larvae. A serotonin circuit that also regulates food search and consumption upregulates DAF-7 specifically in adults. The serotonin/DAF-7 signaling promotes germline expansion to compensate for oocyte expenditure which is increased by the male pheromone. Finally, we show that the earliest events in reproductive aging may be due to declining expression of LAG-2 and DAF-7. Our findings highlight neuronal signals that promote germline proliferation in response to the environment and argue that deteriorating oocyte quality may be due to reduced neuronal expression of key germline regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Z. Aprison
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Svetlana Dzitoyeva
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Ilya Ruvinsky
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
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2
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Ramírez-Sánchez LF, Hernández BJ, Guzmán PA, Alfonso-Parra C, Avila FW. The effects of female age on blood-feeding, insemination, sperm storage, and fertility in the dengue vector mosquito Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 150:104570. [PMID: 37806552 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104570] [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: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Mating induces behavioral and physiological changes in female insects-collectively referred to as the female post-mating response (PMR)-that facilitate the production of progeny. PMRs are elicited by transfer of male-derived seminal components during mating, but are altered by other factors, including adult age. Increased female age is often accompanied by declines in fertility. However, mating shortly after emergence also impacts fertility in the insect model Drosophila melanogaster. Here, we determined the age post-emergence when females of the vector mosquito Aedes aegypti can be inseminated and blood-feed. We next examined fecundity, fertility, and the storage of sperm in the female reproductive tract in "young" (30-41 hours-old) and "old" (2- and 3-week-old) females, finding that blood-feeding began at 14 hours, and mating at ∼24 hours post-emergence. Although young females consumed smaller blood quantities and stored fewer sperm, they were similarly fertile to 4-day-old controls. Old females, however, suffered significant declines in fecundity by 2 weeks of age. Our results show that female Ae. aegypti start to become sexually receptive 1 day after their emergence, but can ingest blood much sooner, suggesting that mating is not a prerequisite to blood-feeding, and that females can ingest an arbovirus infected blood-meal shortly after emergence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brenda Juliana Hernández
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | | | - Catalina Alfonso-Parra
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia; Instituto Colombiano de Medicina Tropical, Universidad CES, Sabaneta, Colombia
| | - Frank W Avila
- Max Planck Tandem Group in Mosquito Reproductive Biology, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
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3
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Lenzi C, Piat A, Schlich P, Ducau J, Bregliano JC, Aguilaniu H, Laurençon A. Parental age effect on the longevity and healthspan in Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans. Aging (Albany NY) 2023; 15:11720-11739. [PMID: 37917003 PMCID: PMC10683632 DOI: 10.18632/aging.205098] [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: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Several studies have investigated the effect of parental age on biological parameters such as reproduction, lifespan, and health; however, the results have been inconclusive, largely due to inter-species variation and/or modest effect sizes. Here, we examined the effect of parental age on the lifespan, reproductive capacity, and locomotor activity of genetic isogenic lines of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We found that the progeny of successive generations of old parents had significantly shorter lifespans than the progeny of young parents in both species. Moreover, we investigated the fertility, fecundity, and locomotor activity of C. elegans. Interestingly, both the shorter lifespan and deteriorated healthspan of the progeny were significantly improved by switching to only one generation of younger parents. Collectively, these data demonstrate that the detrimental effect of older parental age on the longevity of the progeny can be reversed, suggesting the existence of a beneficial non-genetic mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pascal Schlich
- INRA, Centre des Sciences du Goût et de l’Alimentation (CSGA), Dijon, France
| | - Judith Ducau
- IBDM, Parc Scientifique de Luminy, Marseille, France
| | | | | | - Anne Laurençon
- Institut de Genomique Fonctionnelle de Lyon, UMR5242, Universite Claude Bernard-Lyon 1, Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon, Lyon, France
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4
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Ostberg H, Boehm Vock L, Bloch-Qazi MC. Advanced maternal age has negative multigenerational impacts during Drosophila melanogaster embryogenesis. CURRENT RESEARCH IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 4:100068. [PMID: 38161993 PMCID: PMC10757284 DOI: 10.1016/j.cris.2023.100068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Increasing maternal age is commonly accompanied by decreased fitness in offspring. In Drosophila melanogaster, maternal senescence negatively affects multiple facets of offspring phenotype and fitness. These maternal effects are particularly large on embryonic viability. Identifying which embryonic stages are disrupted can indicate mechanisms of maternal effect senescence. Some maternal effects can also carry-over to subsequent generations. We examined potential multi- and transgenerational effects maternal senescence on embryonic development in two laboratory strains of D. melanogaster. We categorized the developmental stages of embryos from every combination of old and young mother, grandmother and great grandmother. We then modelled embryonic survival across the stages and compared these models among the multigenerational maternal age groups in order to identify which developmental processes were most sensitive to the effects of maternal effect senescence. Maternal effect senescence has negative multigenerational effects on multiple embryonic stages, indicating that maternal provisioning and, possibly epigenetics, but not mutation accumulation, contribute to decreased offspring survival. This study shows the large, early and multi-faceted nature of maternal effects senescence in an insect population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halie Ostberg
- Department of Biology, Gustavus Adolphus College, 800 West College Avenue, Saint Peter, MN 56082, USA
| | - Laura Boehm Vock
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Gustavus Adolphus College, 800 West College Avenue, Saint Peter, MN 56082, USA
- Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science, Saint Olaf College, 1520 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, MN 55057, USA
| | - Margaret C. Bloch-Qazi
- Department of Biology, Gustavus Adolphus College, 800 West College Avenue, Saint Peter, MN 56082, USA
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5
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Cavalcante MB, Sampaio OGM, Câmara FEA, Schneider A, de Ávila BM, Prosczek J, Masternak MM, Campos AR. Ovarian aging in humans: potential strategies for extending reproductive lifespan. GeroScience 2023; 45:2121-2133. [PMID: 36913129 PMCID: PMC10651588 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00768-8] [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: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Ovarian reserve is a term used to estimate the total number of immature follicles present in the ovaries. Between birth and menopause, there is a progressive decrease in the number of ovarian follicles. Ovarian aging is a continuous physiological phenomenon, with menopause being the clinical mark of the end of ovarian function. Genetics, measured as family history for age at the onset of menopause, is the main determinant. However, physical activity, diet, and lifestyle are important factors that can influence the age of menopause. The low estrogen levels after natural or premature menopause increased the risk for several diseases, resulting in increased mortality risk. Besides that, the decreasing ovarian reserve is associated to reduced fertility. In women with infertility undergoing in vitro fertilization, reduced markers of ovarian reserve, including antral follicular count and anti-Mullerian hormone, are the main indicators of reduced chances of becoming pregnant. Therefore, it becomes clear that the ovarian reserve has a central role in women's life, affecting fertility early in life and overall health later in life. Based on this, the ideal strategy for delaying ovarian aging should have the following characteristics: (1) be initiated in the presence of good ovarian reserve; (2) maintained for a long period; (3) have an action on the dynamics of primordial follicles, controlling the rate of activation and atresia; and (4) safe use in pre-conception, pregnancy, and lactation. In this review, we therefore discuss some of these strategies and its feasibility for preventing a decline in the ovarian reserve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Borges Cavalcante
- Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences, University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Fortaleza, CE, 60.811-905, Brazil.
| | - Olga Goiana Martins Sampaio
- Postgraduate Program in Medical Sciences, University of Fortaleza (UNIFOR), Fortaleza, CE, 60.811-905, Brazil
| | | | - Augusto Schneider
- Nutrition College, Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), Pelotas, RS, 96010-610, Brazil
| | | | - Juliane Prosczek
- Nutrition College, Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), Pelotas, RS, 96010-610, Brazil
| | - Michal M Masternak
- Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando FL, USA
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
| | - Adriana Rolim Campos
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
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Aprison EZ, Dzitoyeva S, Ruvinsky I. Serotonergic signaling plays a deeply conserved role in improving oocyte quality. Dev Biol 2023; 499:24-30. [PMID: 37121310 PMCID: PMC10247452 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2023.04.008] [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: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Declining germline quality is a major cause of reproductive senescence. Potential remedies could be found by studying regulatory pathways that promote germline quality. Several lines of evidence, including a C. elegans male pheromone ascr#10 that counteracts the effects of germline aging in hermaphrodites, suggest that the nervous system plays an important role in regulating germline quality. Inspired by the fact that serotonin mediates ascr#10 signaling, here we show that serotonin reuptake inhibitors recapitulate the effects of ascr#10 on the germline and promote healthy oocyte aging in C. elegans. Surprisingly, we found that pharmacological increase of serotonin signaling stimulates several developmental processes in D. melanogaster, including improved oocyte quality, although underlying mechanisms appear to be different between worms and flies. Our results reveal a plausibly conserved role for serotonin in maintaining germline quality and identify a class of therapeutic interventions using available compounds that could efficiently forestall reproductive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Z Aprison
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Svetlana Dzitoyeva
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Ilya Ruvinsky
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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Wodrich APK, Scott AW, Giniger E. What do we mean by "aging"?: Questions and perspectives revealed by studies in Drosophila. Mech Ageing Dev 2023:111839. [PMID: 37354919 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2023.111839] [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: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
What is the nature of aging, and how best can we study it? Here, using a series of questions that highlight differing perspectives about the nature of aging, we ask how data from Drosophila melanogaster at the organismal, tissue, cellular, and molecular levels shed light on the complex interactions among the phenotypes associated with aging. Should aging be viewed as an individual's increasing probability of mortality over time or as a progression of physiological states? Are all age-correlated changes in physiology detrimental to vigor or are some compensatory changes that maintain vigor? Why do different age-correlated functions seem to change at different rates in a single individual as it ages? Should aging be considered as a single, integrated process across the scales of biological resolution, from organismal to molecular, or must we consider each level of biological scale as a separate, distinct entity? Viewing aging from these differing perspectives yields distinct but complementary interpretations about the properties and mechanisms of aging and may offer a path through the complexities related to understanding the nature of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew P K Wodrich
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States; Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States; College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Andrew W Scott
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Edward Giniger
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States.
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Duan T, Rodriguez-Tirado F, Geyer PK. Immunohistochemical Analysis of Nuclear Lamina Structures in the Drosophila Ovary Using CRISPR-Tagged Genes. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2626:109-134. [PMID: 36715902 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2970-3_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The Drosophila ovary represents an outstanding model for investigating tissue homeostasis. Females continuously produce oocytes throughout their lifetime. However, as females age, fecundity declines, in part, due to changes in ovarian niche function and germline stem cell (GSC) homeostasis. Understanding the dynamics of GSC maintenance will provide needed insights into how coordinated tissue homeostasis is lost during aging. Critical regulators of GSC maintenance are proteins that reside in the nuclear lamina (NL), including the NL proteins emerin and Barrier-to-Autointegration Factor (BAF). Continued investigation of how emerin, BAF, and other NL proteins contribute to GSC function depends upon the availability of antibodies for NL proteins, a limiting resource. In this chapter, we discuss strategies for using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) genomic editing to produce endogenously tagged NL genes to circumvent this obstacle, using the generation of the gfp-baf allele as an example. We describe strategies for validation of tagged alleles. Finally, we outline methods for immunohistochemical analysis of resulting tagged-NL proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Duan
- Department of Biochemistry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Felipe Rodriguez-Tirado
- Department of Biochemistry and Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Pamela K Geyer
- Department of Biochemistry, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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9
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Phenotyping of Drosophila melanogaster—A Nutritional Perspective. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12020221. [PMID: 35204721 PMCID: PMC8961528 DOI: 10.3390/biom12020221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The model organism Drosophila melanogaster was increasingly applied in nutrition research in recent years. A range of methods are available for the phenotyping of D. melanogaster, which are outlined in the first part of this review. The methods include determinations of body weight, body composition, food intake, lifespan, locomotor activity, reproductive capacity and stress tolerance. In the second part, the practical application of the phenotyping of flies is demonstrated via a discussion of obese phenotypes in response to high-sugar diet (HSD) and high-fat diet (HFD) feeding. HSD feeding and HFD feeding are dietary interventions that lead to an increase in fat storage and affect carbohydrate-insulin homeostasis, lifespan, locomotor activity, reproductive capacity and stress tolerance. Furthermore, studies regarding the impacts of HSD and HFD on the transcriptome and metabolome of D. melanogaster are important for relating phenotypic changes to underlying molecular mechanisms. Overall, D. melanogaster was demonstrated to be a valuable model organism with which to examine the pathogeneses and underlying molecular mechanisms of common chronic metabolic diseases in a nutritional context.
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Lu H, Ma L, Zhang Y, Feng Y, Zhang J, Wang S. Current Animal Model Systems for Ovarian Aging Research. Aging Dis 2022; 13:1183-1195. [PMID: 35855343 PMCID: PMC9286907 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2021.1209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian aging leads to menopause, loss of fertility and other disorders in multiple organs, which brings great distress to women. For ethical reasons, it is impossible to use humans as direct study subjects for aging research. Therefore, biomedical researchers have employed different non-human organisms to study ovarian aging, including worms, fruit flies, fishes, amphibians, birds, mice, rats, cavies, rabbits, pigs, sheep, cows, horses, monkeys, and apes. Because each of these model organisms has its own features, multiple factors, such as size, anatomical structure, cost, ease of operation, fertility, generation time, lifespan, and gene heredity, should be carefully considered when selecting a model system to study ovarian aging. An appropriate model organism would help researchers explore the risk factors and elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying declined ovarian functions, which might be conducive to preventing or delaying the ovarian aging process. This article will offer an overview on several currently available and commonly used model organisms for ovarian aging research by comparing their pros and cons. In doing so, we hope to provide useful information for ovarian aging researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Lu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
| | - Lingwei Ma
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
| | - Yanzhi Feng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
| | - Jinjin Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
- Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Shixuan Wang () and Dr. Jinjin Zhang (), Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shixuan Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Ministry of Education, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China.
- Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Shixuan Wang () and Dr. Jinjin Zhang (), Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology; Wuhan, Hubei, China
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11
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Endosymbiotic male-killing Spiroplasma affect the physiological and behavioural ecology of Macrocheles- Drosophila interactions. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 88:e0197221. [PMID: 34878815 DOI: 10.1128/aem.01972-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
While many arthropod endosymbionts are vertically transmitted, phylogenetic studies reveal repeated introductions of hemolymph-dwelling Spiroplasma into Drosophila. Introductions are often attributed to horizontal transmission via ectoparasite vectors. Here, we test if mites prefer to infect Spiroplasma poulsonii MSRO infected flies, and if MSRO infection impairs fly resistance against secondary mite (Macrocheles subbadius) attack. First we tested if mites prefer MSRO+ or MSRO- flies using pair-wise-choice tests across fly ages. We then tested whether mite preferences are explained by changes in fly physiology, specifically increased metabolic rate (measured as CO2 production). We hypothesize that this preference is due in part to MSRO+ flies expressing higher metabolic rates. However, our results showed mite preference depended on an interaction between fly age and MSRO status: mites avoided 14-days old MSRO+ flies relative to MSRO- flies (31% infection), but prefered MSRO+ flies (64% infection) among 26-day old flies. Using flow-through respirometry, we found 14 day-old MSRO+ flies had higher CO2 emissions than MSRO- flies (32% greater), whereas at 26 days old the CO2 production among MSRO+ flies was 20% lower than MSRO- flies. Thus, mite preferences for high metabolic rate hosts did not explain the infection biases in this study. To assess changes in susceptibility to infection, we measured fly endurance using geotaxis assays. Older flies had lower endurance consistent with fly senescence, and this effect was magnified among MSRO+ flies. Given the biological importance of male-killing Spiroplasma, potential changes in the interactions of hosts and potential vectors could impact the ecology and evolution of host species. Importance Male-killing endosymbionts are transmitted mother to daughter and kill male offspring. Despite these major ecological effects, how these endosymbionts colonize new host species is not always clear. Mites are sometimes hypothesized to transfer these bacteria between hosts/host species. Here we test if 1) if mites prefer to infect flies that harbour Spiroplasma poulisoni MSRO and 2) if flies infected with MSRO are less able to resist mite infection. Our results show that flies infected with MSRO have weaker anti-mite resistance but the mite preference/aversion for MSRO+ flies varied with fly age. Given the fitness and population impacts of male-killing Spiroplasma, changes in fly-mite interactions have implications for the ecology and evolution of these symbioses.
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12
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Drosophila melanogaster Stress Odorant (dSO) Displays the Characteristics of an Interspecific Alarm Cue. J Chem Ecol 2021; 47:719-731. [PMID: 34402994 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-021-01300-y] [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: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Organisms depend on visual, auditory, and olfactory cues to signal the presence of danger that could impact survival and reproduction. Drosophila melanogaster emits an olfactory alarm signal, termed the Drosophila stress odorant (dSO), in response to mechanical agitation or electric shock. While it has been shown that conspecifics avoid areas previously occupied by stressed individuals, the contextual underpinnings of the emission of, and response to dSO, have received little attention. Using a binary choice assay, we determined that neither age and sex of emitters, nor the time of the day, affected the emission or avoidance of dSO. However, both sex and mating status affected the response to dSO. We also demonstrated that while D. melanogaster, D. simulans, and D. suzukii, have different dSO profiles, its avoidance was not species-specific. Thus, dSO should not be considered a pheromone but a general alarm signal for Drosophila. However, the response levels to both intra- and inter-specific cues differed between Drosophila species and possible reasons for these differences are discussed.
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13
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Curtsinger JW. Terminal life history: late-life fecundity and survival in experimental populations of Drosophila melanogaster. Biogerontology 2020; 21:721-730. [PMID: 32638261 DOI: 10.1007/s10522-020-09889-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
There are two life history landmarks that can be used to define the terminal period in individual Drosophila melanogaster females: the cessation of daily oviposition, which defines the start of the retired stage, and final oviposition, which defines the start of post-ovipository survival. The terminal period is a substantial component of D. melanogaster life history. Analysis of published data on the daily fecundity and survival of 3971 individually maintained, mated female flies reveals that the terminal period is far more variable within populations than other life history components, including total adult life span. It has been reported that there is a negative correlation between fecundity and duration of the terminal state in recently collected wild stocks. Here I show that the negative correlation occurs in multiple inbred and outbred lab-adapted populations as well. In terms of proportion of adult life, lower fecundity flies spend on average twice as much time in the terminal stage as higher fecundity flies from the same population. Both high and low fecundity flies experience end-of-life plateaus in mortality, with the former exhibiting higher plateau levels. The negative correlation between fecundity and terminal survival is of sufficient magnitude to create heterogeneity among the oldest old: the final 10% of survivors are predominately flies with a history of high fecundity, but about one in five is a low fecundity fly with long terminal stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W Curtsinger
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, & Behavior, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, 1987 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA.
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14
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Mossman JA, Mabeza RMS, Blake E, Mehta N, Rand DM. Age of Both Parents Influences Reproduction and Egg Dumping Behavior in Drosophila melanogaster. J Hered 2020; 110:300-309. [PMID: 30753690 PMCID: PMC6503451 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esz009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Trans-generational maternal effects have been shown to influence a broad range of offspring phenotypes. However, very little is known about paternal trans-generational effects. Here, we tested the trans-generational effects of maternal and paternal age, and their interaction, on daughter and son reproductive fitness in Drosophila melanogaster. We found significant effects of parent ages on offspring reproductive fitness during a 10 day postfertilization period. In daughters, older (45 days old) mothers conferred lower reproductive fitness compared with younger mothers (3 days old). In sons, father’s age significantly affected reproductive fitness. The effects of 2 old parents were additive in both sexes and reproductive fitness was lowest when the focal individual had 2 old parents. Interestingly, daughter fertility was sensitive to father’s age but son fertility was insensitive to mother’s age, suggesting a sexual asymmetry in trans-generational effects. We found the egg-laying dynamics in daughters dramatically shaped this relationship. Daughters with 2 old parents demonstrated an extreme egg dumping behavior on day 1 and laid >2.35× the number of eggs than the other 3 age class treatments. Our study reveals significant trans-generational maternal and paternal age effects on fertility and an association with a novel egg laying behavioral phenotype in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jim A Mossman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Box G, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Russyan Mark S Mabeza
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Box G, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Emma Blake
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Box G, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Neha Mehta
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Box G, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - David M Rand
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Box G, Brown University, Providence, RI
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15
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The Drosophila Post-mating Response: Gene Expression and Behavioral Changes Reveal Perdurance and Variation in Cross-Tissue Interactions. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2020; 10:967-983. [PMID: 31907222 PMCID: PMC7056969 DOI: 10.1534/g3.119.400963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Examining cross-tissue interactions is important for understanding physiology and homeostasis. In animals, the female gonad produces signaling molecules that act distally. We examine gene expression in Drosophila melanogaster female head tissues in 1) virgins without a germline compared to virgins with a germline, 2) post-mated females with and without a germline compared to virgins, and 3) post-mated females mated to males with and without a germline compared to virgins. In virgins, the absence of a female germline results in expression changes in genes with known roles in nutrient homeostasis. At one- and three-day(s) post-mating, genes that change expression are enriched with those that function in metabolic pathways, in all conditions. We systematically examine female post-mating impacts on sleep, food preference and re-mating, in the strains and time points used for gene expression analyses and compare to published studies. We show that post-mating, gene expression changes vary by strain, prompting us to examine variation in female re-mating. We perform a genome-wide association study that identifies several DNA polymorphisms, including four in/near Wnt signaling pathway genes. Together, these data reveal how gene expression and behavior in females are influenced by cross-tissue interactions, by examining the impact of mating, fertility, and genotype.
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16
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Blagburn JM. A new method of recording from the giant fiber of Drosophila melanogaster shows that the strength of its auditory inputs remains constant with age. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0224057. [PMID: 31910219 PMCID: PMC6946141 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There have been relatively few studies of how central synapses age in adult Drosophila melanogaster. In this study we investigate the aging of the synaptic inputs to the Giant Fiber (GF) from auditory Johnston's Organ neurons (JONs). In previously published experiments an indirect assay of this synaptic connection was used; here we describe a new, more direct assay, which allows reliable detection of the GF action potential in the neck connective, and long term recording of its responses to sound. Genetic poisoning using diphtheria toxin expressed in the GF with R68A06-GAL4 was used to confirm that this signal indeed arose from the GF and not from other descending neurons. As before, the sound-evoked action potentials (SEPs) in the antennal nerve were recorded via an electrode inserted at the base of the antenna. It was noted that an action potential in the GF elicited an antennal twitch, which in turn evoked a mechanosensory response from the JONs in the absence of sound. We then used these extracellular recording techniques in males and female of different ages to quantify the response of the JONs to a brief sound impulse, and also to measure the strength of the connection between the JONs and the GF. At no age was there any significant difference between males and females, for any of the parameters measured. The sensitivity of the JONs to a sound impulse approximately doubled between 1 d and 10 d after eclosion, which corresponds to the period when most mating is taking place. Subsequently JON sensitivity decreased with age, being approximately half as sensitive at 20 d and one-third as sensitive at 50 d, as compared to 10 d. However, the strength of the connection between the auditory input and the GF itself remained unchanged with age, although it did show some variability that could mask any small changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M. Blagburn
- Institute of Neurobiology, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, United States of America
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17
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Paternal Grandmother Age Affects the Strength of Wolbachia-Induced Cytoplasmic Incompatibility in Drosophila melanogaster. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.01879-19. [PMID: 31690673 PMCID: PMC6831774 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01879-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Wolbachia are obligate intracellular bacteria that are globally distributed in half of all arthropod species. As the most abundant maternally inherited microbe in animals, Wolbachia manipulate host reproduction via reproductive parasitism strategies, including cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). CI manifests as embryonic death when Wolbachia-modified sperm fertilize uninfected eggs but not maternally infected eggs. Thus, CI can provide a relative fitness advantage to Wolbachia-infected females and drive the infection through a population. In the genetic model Drosophila melanogaster, the Wolbachia strain wMel induces variable CI, making mechanistic studies in D. melanogaster cumbersome. Here, we demonstrate that sons of older paternal D. melanogaster grandmothers induce stronger CI than sons of younger paternal grandmothers, and we term this relationship the "paternal grandmother age effect" (PGAE). Moreover, the embryos and adult sons of older D. melanogaster grandmothers have higher Wolbachia densities, correlating with their ability to induce stronger CI. In addition, we report that Wolbachia density positively correlates with female age and decreases after mating, suggesting that females transmit Wolbachia loads that are proportional to their own titers. These findings reveal a transgenerational impact of age on wMel-induced CI, elucidate Wolbachia density dynamics in D. melanogaster, and provide a methodological advance to studies aimed at understanding wMel-induced CI in the D. melanogaster model.IMPORTANCE Unidirectional cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) results in a postfertilization incompatibility between Wolbachia-infected males and uninfected females. CI contributes to reproductive isolation between closely related species and is used in worldwide vector control programs to drastically lower arboviral vector population sizes or to replace populations that transmit arboviruses with those resistant to transmission. Despite decades of research on the factors that influence CI, penetrance is often variable under controlled laboratory conditions in various arthropods, suggesting that additional variables influence CI strength. Here, we demonstrate that paternal D. melanogaster grandmother age influences the strength of CI induced by their sons. Older D. melanogaster females have higher Wolbachia densities and produce offspring with higher Wolbachia densities that associate with stronger CI. This work reveals a multigenerational impact of age on CI and expands our understanding of host-Wolbachia interactions and the biology of CI induced by the Wolbachia strain infecting the most widely used arthropod model, D. melanogaster.
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Brenman-Suttner DB, Yost RT, Frame AK, Robinson JW, Moehring AJ, Simon AF. Social behavior and aging: A fly model. GENES BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR 2019; 19:e12598. [PMID: 31286644 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The field of behavioral genetics has recently begun to explore the effect of age on social behaviors. Such studies are particularly important, as certain neuropsychiatric disorders with abnormal social interactions, like autism and schizophrenia, have been linked to older parents. Appropriate social interaction can also have a positive impact on longevity, and is associated with successful aging in humans. Currently, there are few genetic models for understanding the effect of aging on social behavior and its potential transgenerational inheritance. The fly is emerging as a powerful model for identifying the basic molecular mechanisms underlying neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. In this review, we discuss these recent advancements, with a focus on how studies in Drosophila melanogaster have provided insight into the effect of aging on aspects of social behavior, including across generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dova B Brenman-Suttner
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Biology, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ryley T Yost
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ariel K Frame
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - J Wesley Robinson
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amanda J Moehring
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Anne F Simon
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
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19
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana M. O’Reilly
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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20
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Rivera O, McHan L, Konadu B, Patel S, Sint Jago S, Talbert ME. A high-fat diet impacts memory and gene expression of the head in mated female Drosophila melanogaster. J Comp Physiol B 2019; 189:179-198. [PMID: 30810797 PMCID: PMC6711602 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-019-01209-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Obesity predisposes humans to a range of life-threatening comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Obesity also aggravates neural pathologies, such as Alzheimer's disease, but this class of comorbidity is less understood. When Drosophila melanogaster (flies) are exposed to high-fat diet (HFD) by supplementing a standard medium with coconut oil, they adopt an obese phenotype of decreased lifespan, increased triglyceride storage, and hindered climbing ability. The latter development has been previously regarded as a potential indicator of neurological decline in fly models of neurodegenerative disease. Our objective was to establish the obesity phenotype in Drosophila and identify a potential correlation, if any, between obesity and neurological decline through behavioral assays and gene expression microarray. We found that mated female w1118 flies exposed to HFD maintained an obese phenotype throughout adult life starting at 7 days, evidenced by increased triglyceride stores, diminished life span, and impeded climbing ability. While climbing ability worsened cumulatively between 7 and 14 days of exposure to HFD, there was no corresponding alteration in triglyceride content. Microarray analysis of the mated female w1118 fly head revealed HFD-induced changes in expression of genes with functions in memory, metabolism, olfaction, mitosis, cell signaling, and motor function. Meanwhile, an Aversive Phototaxis Suppression assay in mated female flies indicated reduced ability to recall an entrained memory 6 h after training. Overall, our results support the suitability of mated female flies for examining connections between diet-induced obesity and nervous or neurobehavioral pathology, and provide many directions for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osvaldo Rivera
- Program in Biology, School of Sciences, University of Louisiana at Monroe, 700 University Avenue, Monroe, LA, 71209, USA
| | - Lara McHan
- Program in Biology, School of Sciences, University of Louisiana at Monroe, 700 University Avenue, Monroe, LA, 71209, USA
| | - Bridget Konadu
- Program in Biology, School of Sciences, University of Louisiana at Monroe, 700 University Avenue, Monroe, LA, 71209, USA
| | - Sumitkumar Patel
- Program in Biology, School of Sciences, University of Louisiana at Monroe, 700 University Avenue, Monroe, LA, 71209, USA
| | - Silvienne Sint Jago
- Program in Biology, School of Sciences, University of Louisiana at Monroe, 700 University Avenue, Monroe, LA, 71209, USA
| | - Matthew E Talbert
- Program in Biology, School of Sciences, University of Louisiana at Monroe, 700 University Avenue, Monroe, LA, 71209, USA.
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21
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Grumiaux C, Andersen MK, Colinet H, Overgaard J. Fluctuating thermal regime preserves physiological homeostasis and reproductive capacity in Drosophila suzukii. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 113:33-41. [PMID: 30615858 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 12/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila suzukii, an invasive species recently introduced in Europe, lays eggs in thin-skinned fruits and causes huge financial losses to fruit growers. One potential way to control this pest is the sterile insect technique (SIT) which demands a large stock of reproductive females to produce millions of sterile males to be released on demand. Unfortunately, Drosophila stocks age quickly, show declining fecundity when maintained at warm temperatures and conversely, they die from chill injury if they are maintained at constant low temperature. Here we investigate the potential of fluctuating thermal regime (FTR) as a storage method that harness the benefits of both warm and cold storage. Using a FTR with a daily warm period (1 h 20 at 25 °C) and cold period (20 h at 3 °C), interspaced by gradual heating and cooling, we compared longevity, fecundity and physiological condition between FTR females and females exposed to constant 25 °C and 3 °C. As hypothesised, FTR flies experienced much slower senescence (>3-fold increase in lifespan) and they preserved fecundity to a much higher age than flies from constant 25 °C. Flies maintained at constant 3 °C quickly died from chill injuries caused by a gradual loss of ion and water balance. In contrast, FTR flies were able to maintain ion and water balance (similar to 25 °C flies) as they were allowed to recover homeostasis during the short warm periods. Together these results demonstrate that FTR represents a useful protocol for storage of Drosophila stocks, and more broadly, this shows that the benefits of FTR are tightly linked with the insect ability to recover physiological homeostasis during the short warm periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clayre Grumiaux
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | | | - Hervé Colinet
- Université Rennes 1, CNRS, ECOBIO - UMR 6553, 263 Avenue du Général Leclerc, 35042 Rennes, France
| | - Johannes Overgaard
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
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22
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Koch RE, Phillips JM, Camus MF, Dowling DK. Maternal age effects on fecundity and offspring egg-to-adult viability are not affected by mitochondrial haplotype. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:10722-10732. [PMID: 30519401 PMCID: PMC6262919 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2018] [Revised: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
While numerous studies have demonstrated that mitochondrial genetic variation can shape organismal phenotype, the level of contribution the mitochondrial genotype makes to life-history phenotype across the life course remains unknown. Furthermore, a clear technical bias has emerged in studies of mitochondrial effects on reproduction, with many studies conducted on males, but few on females. Here, we apply a classic prediction of the evolutionary theory of aging to the mitochondrial genome, predicting the declining force of natural selection with age will have facilitated the accumulation of mtDNA mutations that confer late-life effects on female reproductive performance. This should lead to increased levels of mitochondrial genetic variation on reproduction at later-life stages. We tested this hypothesis using thirteen strains of Drosophila melanogaster that each possessed a different mitochondrial haplotype in an otherwise standard nuclear genetic background. We measured fecundity and egg-to-adult viability of females over five different age classes ranging from early to late life and quantified the survival of females throughout this time period. We found no significant variation across mitochondrial haplotypes for the reproductive traits, and no mitochondrial effect on the slope of decline in these traits with increasing age. However, we observed that flies that died earlier in the experiment experienced steeper declines in the reproductive traits prior to death, and we also identified maternal and grandparental age effects on the measured traits. These results suggest the mitochondrial variation does not make a key contribution to shaping the reproductive performance of females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E. Koch
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - James M. Phillips
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - M. Florencia Camus
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and EnvironmentUniversity CollegeLondonUK
| | - Damian K. Dowling
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
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23
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Aw WC, Towarnicki SG, Melvin RG, Youngson NA, Garvin MR, Hu Y, Nielsen S, Thomas T, Pickford R, Bustamante S, Vila-Sanjurjo A, Smyth GK, Ballard JWO. Genotype to phenotype: Diet-by-mitochondrial DNA haplotype interactions drive metabolic flexibility and organismal fitness. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007735. [PMID: 30399141 PMCID: PMC6219761 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/02/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Diet may be modified seasonally or by biogeographic, demographic or cultural shifts. It can differentially influence mitochondrial bioenergetics, retrograde signalling to the nuclear genome, and anterograde signalling to mitochondria. All these interactions have the potential to alter the frequencies of mtDNA haplotypes (mitotypes) in nature and may impact human health. In a model laboratory system, we fed four diets varying in Protein: Carbohydrate (P:C) ratio (1:2, 1:4, 1:8 and 1:16 P:C) to four homoplasmic Drosophila melanogaster mitotypes (nuclear genome standardised) and assayed their frequency in population cages. When fed a high protein 1:2 P:C diet, the frequency of flies harbouring Alstonville mtDNA increased. In contrast, when fed the high carbohydrate 1:16 P:C food the incidence of flies harbouring Dahomey mtDNA increased. This result, driven by differences in larval development, was generalisable to the replacement of the laboratory diet with fruits having high and low P:C ratios, perturbation of the nuclear genome and changes to the microbiome. Structural modelling and cellular assays suggested a V161L mutation in the ND4 subunit of complex I of Dahomey mtDNA was mildly deleterious, reduced mitochondrial functions, increased oxidative stress and resulted in an increase in larval development time on the 1:2 P:C diet. The 1:16 P:C diet triggered a cascade of changes in both mitotypes. In Dahomey larvae, increased feeding fuelled increased β-oxidation and the partial bypass of the complex I mutation. Conversely, Alstonville larvae upregulated genes involved with oxidative phosphorylation, increased glycogen metabolism and they were more physically active. We hypothesise that the increased physical activity diverted energy from growth and cell division and thereby slowed development. These data further question the use of mtDNA as an assumed neutral marker in evolutionary and population genetic studies. Moreover, if humans respond similarly, we posit that individuals with specific mtDNA variations may differentially metabolise carbohydrates, which has implications for a variety of diseases including cardiovascular disease, obesity, and perhaps Parkinson's Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen C. Aw
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Samuel G. Towarnicki
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Richard G. Melvin
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Neil A. Youngson
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael R. Garvin
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, United States of America
| | - Yifang Hu
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shaun Nielsen
- Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Torsten Thomas
- Centre for Marine Bio-Innovation and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Russell Pickford
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility, Mark Wainwright Analytical Center, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sonia Bustamante
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry Facility, Mark Wainwright Analytical Center, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Antón Vila-Sanjurjo
- Grupo GIBE, Bioloxía Celular e Molecular, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña (UDC), Campus Zapateira s/n, A Coruña, Spain
| | - Gordon K. Smyth
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - J. William O. Ballard
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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24
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Kostenko VV, Kolot NV. Aging-Associated Changes in the Reproductive Function of Drosophila melanogaster Offspring. ADVANCES IN GERONTOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.1134/s207905701802008x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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25
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De Nobrega AK, Mellers AP, Lyons LC. Aging and circadian dysfunction increase alcohol sensitivity and exacerbate mortality in Drosophila melanogaster. Exp Gerontol 2017; 97:49-59. [PMID: 28750752 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2017.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Revised: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol abuse is a rising problem in middle-aged and older individuals resulting in serious health, family and economic consequences. Effective treatment necessitates the identification of factors influencing alcohol toxicity with aging. We investigated the interaction between aging, alcohol toxicity and circadian function using Drosophila as a model system. We found as wild type flies age, sensitivity to alcohol increases and circadian regulation of alcohol-induced behaviors weakens. Decreased circadian modulation is correlated with significantly greater alcohol sensitivity during the subjective day. The circadian clock modulates alcohol-induced mortality in younger flies with increased mortality following alcohol exposure at night. Older flies exhibit significantly longer recovery times following alcohol-induced sedation and increased mortality following binge-like or chronic alcohol exposure. Flies rendered arrhythmic either genetically or environmentally exhibit significantly increased alcohol sensitivity, longer recovery times and increased mortality. We hypothesize that the circadian clock phase specifically buffers behavioral and cellular alcohol sensitivity with this protection diminishing as the circadian clock weakens with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aliza K De Nobrega
- Department of Biological Science, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - Alana P Mellers
- Department of Biological Science, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States
| | - Lisa C Lyons
- Department of Biological Science, Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, United States.
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26
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Bloch Qazi MC, Miller PB, Poeschel PM, Phan MH, Thayer JL, Medrano CL. Transgenerational effects of maternal and grandmaternal age on offspring viability and performance in Drosophila melanogaster. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 100:43-52. [PMID: 28529156 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2017.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2016] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
In non-social insects, fitness is determined by relative lifetime fertility. Fertility generally declines with age as a part of senescence. For females, senescence has profound effects on fitness by decreasing viability and fertility as well as those of her offspring. However, important aspects of these maternal effects, including the cause(s) of reduced offspring performance and carry-over effects of maternal age, are poorly understood. Drosophila melanogaster is a useful system for examining potential transgenerational effects of increasing maternal age, because of their use as a model system for studying the physiology and genetic architecture of both reproduction and senescence. To test the hypothesis that female senescence has transgenerational effects on offspring viability and development, we measured the effects of maternal age on offspring survival over two generations and under two larval densities in two laboratory strains of flies (Oregon-R and Canton-S). Transgenerational effects of maternal age influence embryonic viability and embryonic to adult viability in both strains. However, the generation causing the effects, and the magnitude and direction of those effects differed by genotype. The effects of maternal age on embryonic to adult viability when larvae are stressed was also genotype-specific. Maternal effects involve provisioning: older females produced smaller eggs and larger offspring. These results show that maternal age has profound, complex, and multigenerational consequences on several components of offspring fitness and traits. This study contributes to a body of work demonstrating that female age is an important condition affecting phenotypic variation and viability across multiple generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret C Bloch Qazi
- Department of Biology, Gustavus Adolphus College, 800 West College Avenue, Saint Peter, MN 56082, USA.
| | - Paige B Miller
- Department of Biology, Gustavus Adolphus College, 800 West College Avenue, Saint Peter, MN 56082, USA.
| | - Penny M Poeschel
- Department of Biology, Gustavus Adolphus College, 800 West College Avenue, Saint Peter, MN 56082, USA.
| | - Mai H Phan
- Department of Biology, Gustavus Adolphus College, 800 West College Avenue, Saint Peter, MN 56082, USA.
| | - Joseph L Thayer
- Department of Biology, Gustavus Adolphus College, 800 West College Avenue, Saint Peter, MN 56082, USA.
| | - Christian L Medrano
- Department of Biology, Gustavus Adolphus College, 800 West College Avenue, Saint Peter, MN 56082, USA.
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27
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Özpolat BD, Sloane ES, Zattara EE, Bely AE. Plasticity and regeneration of gonads in the annelid Pristina leidyi. EvoDevo 2016; 7:22. [PMID: 27708756 PMCID: PMC5051023 DOI: 10.1186/s13227-016-0059-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gonads are specialized gamete-producing structures that, despite their functional importance, are generated by diverse mechanisms across groups of animals and can be among the most plastic organs of the body. Annelids, the segmented worms, are a group in which gonads have been documented to be plastic and to be able to regenerate, but little is known about what factors influence gonad development or how these structures regenerate. In this study, we aimed to identify factors that influence the presence and size of gonads and to investigate gonad regeneration in the small asexually reproducing annelid, Pristina leidyi. Results We found that gonad presence and size in asexual adult P. leidyi are highly variable across individuals and identified several factors that influence these structures. An extrinsic factor, food availability, and two intrinsic factors, individual age and parental age, strongly influence the presence and size of gonads in P. leidyi. We also found that following head amputation in this species, gonads can develop by morphallactic regeneration in previously non-gonadal segments. We also identified a sexually mature individual from our laboratory culture that demonstrates that, although our laboratory strain reproduces only asexually, it retains the potential to become fully sexual. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that gonads in P. leidyi display high phenotypic plasticity and flexibility with respect to their presence, their size, and the segments in which they can form. Considering our findings along with relevant data from other species, we find that, as a group, clitellate annelids can form gonads in at least four different contexts: post-starvation refeeding, fission, morphallactic regeneration, and epimorphic regeneration. This group is thus particularly useful for investigating the mechanisms involved in gonad formation and the evolution of post-embryonic phenotypic plasticity. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13227-016-0059-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Duygu Özpolat
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 USA ; Institut Jacques Monod, Paris, France
| | - Emily S Sloane
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 USA
| | - Eduardo E Zattara
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 USA ; Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Alexandra E Bely
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 USA
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