Extraordinary lifespans in ants: a test of evolutionary theories of ageing
Extraordinary lifespans in ants: a test of evolutionary theories of ageing
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DOI：
10.1038/40130
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发表时间：
1997-10-30
期刊：
影响因子：
64.8
通讯作者：
Genoud, M
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Keller, L;Genoud, M
衰老不仅是一个医学问题，也是一个进化悖论，因为它应该受到自然选择的反对。进化假说认为，衰老的发生是提高早期繁殖成功率过程的必要成本(1,2)，或者是由于对晚效突变的选择较弱(3)。这些假设的预测是，随着外在死亡率的增加，衰老速度会增加，平均寿命会减少(1-7)。或者，非适应性、纯粹机械性的假设将 DNA、细胞、组织和器官的损伤视为生物体衰老和不可避免的死亡的独特原因 (8)。在这里，我们表明，真社会性的进化与昆虫寿命延长 100 倍有关。这种增加是进化理论所预测的，因为白蚁、蜂王和蚁后生活在受到庇护并严密防御捕食者的群体中。此外，对具有对比生活史的蚂蚁进行比较也揭示了寿命与外在死亡率之间的关联。这些结果为衰老的进化理论提供了强有力的支持，因为衰老的纯粹机械假说并未提出外在死亡率和寿命之间存在任何关联。
Senescence presents not only a medical problem, but also an evolutionary paradox because it should be opposed by natural selection. Evolutionary hypotheses propose that ageing evolves as the necessary cost of processes increasing early reproductive success(1,2), or because of weaker selection against late-acting mutations(3). A prediction of these hypotheses is that the rate of ageing should increase and the average lifespan decrease as the rate of extrinsic mortality increases(1-7). Alternatively, non-adaptive, purely mechanistic hypotheses invoke damage to DNA, cells, tissues and organs as being the unique cause of senescence and ineluctable death of organisms(8). Here we show that the evolution of eusociality is associated with a 100-fold increase in insect lifespan. Such an increase is predicted by evolutionary theories because termite, bee and ant queens live in colonies that are sheltered and heavily defended against predators. Moreover, a comparison of ants with contrasting life histories also reveals an association between lifespan and extrinsic rate of mortality. These results provide strong support for evolutionary theories of ageing, as purely mechanistic hypotheses of senescence do not propose any association between the rate of extrinsic mortality and lifespans.