An Experimental Test of Senescence and Aging Mechanisms in a Free-living Organism

了解是什么决定了生物体衰老的速度和原因，是许多生物学家感兴趣的一个基本问题。这项研究将解决年龄和行为如何相互作用，以决定衰老，生理性能的恶化，和寿命的问题。pi将测试衰老理论的主要模型，通过实验操纵一种社会复杂性与人类相当的自由生活生物（蜜蜂）的新陈代谢昂贵的自然行为（觅食）的开始、强度和持续时间。氧化应激理论预测，早开始、高强度和/或长时间的觅食会加速衰老和降低寿命，而晚开始、低强度和/或短时间的觅食则会产生相反的效果。本研究利用了蜜蜂模型系统的实验可追溯性，并整合了分子、遗传、生理和行为方面的观点，以促进对限制寿命因素的理解。该项目将促进代表性不足群体的教学、培训、学习和参与。该项目将包括一名博士后学者、一名研究生、一名技术人员和几名本科生，其中许多人是代表性不足的群体的成员，目前在PI和联合PI的实验室工作。这项研究的发现和观点将被整合到PI和co-PI定期提供的各种大学课程、K-12演讲和面向公众的推广机会中。

Understanding what determines how fast and why organisms age is a fundamental question of interest to many biologists. This research will address the question of how age and behavior interact to determine senescence, the deterioration of physiological performance, and longevity. The PIs will test major models of aging theory by experimentally manipulating the onset, intensity and duration of a metabolically-expensive natural behavior (foraging) in a free-living organism (honey bees) whose social complexity rivals our own. The oxidative-stress theory predicts that early onset, high intensity and/or long duration foraging effort will accelerate senescence and decrease longevity, and that late onset, low intensity and/or short duration foraging should have the opposite effects. This research takes advantage of the experimental tractability of the honey bee model system and integrates molecular, genetic, physiological, and behavioral perspectives to advance the understanding of factors that limit lifespan. This project will promote teaching, training, learning and the participation of underrepresented groups. This project will include a postdoctoral scholar, a graduate student, a technician and several undergraduates, many of whom are members of underrepresented groups and currently working in the laboratories of the PI and co-PI. The findings and perspectives of this research will be integrated into the diverse array of university courses, K-12 presentations and outreach opportunities for the general public that are routinely offered by the PI and co-PI.