Among-population variation in telomere regulatory proteins and their potential role as hidden drivers of intraspecific variation in life history
Among-population variation in telomere regulatory proteins and their potential role as hidden drivers of intraspecific variation in life history
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DOI：
10.1111/1365-2656.14071
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发表时间：
2024-03-21
影响因子：
4.8
通讯作者：
Rosvall，Kimberly A.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Wolf，Sarah E.;Woodruff，Mary J.;Rosvall，Kimberly A.
生物学家的目标是解释具有生命史特征的生长、繁殖和衰老模式，然而我们才刚刚开始了解产生这种多样性的近似机制。该领域的现有研究主要集中在端粒上，但通常忽略了端粒最直接的介质——庇护蛋白复合物。庇护蛋白与端粒物理相互作用，形成其缩短和修复。它们还能调节新陈代谢和免疫功能，这表明它们在野生动物的生活史变异中有潜在的作用。然而，对庇护蛋白的研究在生物分子工作之外并不常见。种内分析可以在解决这些未知因素方面发挥重要作用，因为它们揭示了种群内部和种群之间生活史的微妙变化。在此，我们评估了8个树燕（Tachycineta bicolor）种群中庇护蛋白丰度的生态地理变化，并记录了环境和生活史性状的变化。利用12日龄雏鸟血液中四种庇护蛋白的基因表达，我们验证了庇护蛋白基因表达随纬度变化以及与端粒长度和生活史有关的假设。庇护蛋白基因的表达在种群之间存在差异，并随纬度的非线性变化而变化：中纬度地区的雏鸟的庇护蛋白mRNA平均表达量几乎是北部和南部地区雏鸟的两倍。端粒长度与纬度关系不显著。接下来，我们评估了端粒长度和庇护蛋白基因表达是否与雏鸟12日龄体重和翅膀长度相关，这两个指标与雏鸟未来的繁殖力和存活率有关。我们发现，与端粒长度相比，体重和翅膀长度与庇护蛋白基因表达的相关性更强（也更显著）。这些结果突出了端粒调节庇护蛋白作为人群生活史变异的潜在介质。这些生态地理模式与现有的将庇护蛋白与种群内生活史变异联系起来的研究一起，强调了继续整合生态学、进化和端粒生物学的必要性，它们将共同促进对自然界生活史变异驱动因素的理解。
Biologists aim to explain patterns of growth, reproduction and ageing that characterize life histories, yet we are just beginning to understand the proximate mechanisms that generate this diversity. Existing research in this area has focused on telomeres but has generally overlooked the telomere's most direct mediator, the shelterin protein complex. Shelterin proteins physically interact with the telomere to shape its shortening and repair. They also regulate metabolism and immune function, suggesting a potential role in life history variation in the wild. However, research on shelterin proteins is uncommon outside of biomolecular work.Intraspecific analyses can play an important role in resolving these unknowns because they reveal subtle variation in life history within and among populations. Here, we assessed ecogeographic variation in shelterin protein abundance across eight populations of tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) with previously documented variation in environmental and life history traits. Using the blood gene expression of four shelterin proteins in 12‐day‐old nestlings, we tested the hypothesis that shelterin protein gene expression varies latitudinally and in relation to both telomere length and life history.Shelterin protein gene expression differed among populations and tracked non‐linear variation in latitude: nestlings from mid‐latitudes expressed nearly double the shelterin mRNA on average than those at more northern and southern sites. However, telomere length was not significantly related to latitude.We next assessed whether telomere length and shelterin protein gene expression correlate with 12‐day‐old body mass and wing length, two proxies of nestling growth linked to future fecundity and survival. We found that body mass and wing length correlated more strongly (and significantly) with shelterin protein gene expression than with telomere length.These results highlight telomere regulatory shelterin proteins as potential mediators of life history variation among populations. Together with existing research linking shelterin proteins and life history variation within populations, these ecogeographic patterns underscore the need for continued integration of ecology, evolution and telomere biology, which together will advance understanding of the drivers of life history variation in nature.