Longer telomeres during early life predict higher lifetime reproductive success in females but not males
Longer telomeres during early life predict higher lifetime reproductive success in females but not males
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DOI：
10.1098/rspb.2021.0560
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发表时间：
2021-05
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
B. Heidinger;Aurelia C. Kucera;J. Kittilson;D. Westneat
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作者：
B. Heidinger;Aurelia C. Kucera;J. Kittilson;D. Westneat
导致终生繁殖成功率变化的机制还不清楚。一种可能性是端粒，染色体末端的保守DNA序列，通常随着年龄和压力暴露而缩短，可能反映了生命过程的差异或影响健康。端粒长度通常预测寿命，但寿命只是健身的一个组成部分，很少有人知道如何终身生殖成功与端粒动态在野生种群。我们研究了自由生活的家雀（Passer arteriticus）在生命早期开始的端粒长度，端粒损失到成年和终身生殖成功之间的关系。我们发现，女性，而不是男性，在生命早期具有较长的端粒有较高的终生生殖成功率，由于与长寿和每年或尝试繁殖无关。在两种性别中，端粒都随着年龄的增长而减少，但端粒的丢失与一生的生殖成功无关。在这个物种中，端粒可能反映了质量或条件的差异，而不是生活节奏，但仅限于女性。预期端粒上的性不一致选择会影响端粒动态中群体内变异的稳定性和维持性，并表明端粒在介导生活史权衡中所起的任何作用可能是性别特异性的。
The mechanisms that contribute to variation in lifetime reproductive success are not well understood. One possibility is that telomeres, conserved DNA sequences at chromosome ends that often shorten with age and stress exposures, may reflect differences in vital processes or influence fitness. Telomere length often predicts longevity, but longevity is only one component of fitness and little is known about how lifetime reproductive success is related to telomere dynamics in wild populations. We examined the relationships between telomere length beginning in early life, telomere loss into adulthood and lifetime reproductive success in free-living house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We found that females, but not males, with longer telomeres during early life had higher lifetime reproductive success, owing to associations with longevity and not reproduction per year or attempt. Telomeres decreased with age in both sexes, but telomere loss was not associated with lifetime reproductive success. In this species, telomeres may reflect differences in quality or condition rather than the pace of life, but only in females. Sexually discordant selection on telomeres is expected to influence the stability and maintenance of within population variation in telomere dynamics and suggests that any role telomeres play in mediating life-history trade-offs may be sex specific.