Age‐independent telomere length predicts fitness in two bird Species

Pauliny, Angela; Wagner, Richard H.; Augustin, Jakob; Szép, Tibor; Blomqvist, Donald

doi:10.1111/j.1365-294x.2006.02862.x

Cited by 148 publications

(194 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Telomere restriction fragments (TRFs) were prepared as described previously (Pauliny et al 2006). After standard Southern blotting, TRFs were hybridized to an alkaline phosphatase-linked telomere probe and detected by chemoluminescence (AlkPhos labelling and detection kit, GE Healthcare).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Proximate determinants of telomere length in sand lizards ( Lacerta agilis )

et al. 2010

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Telomeres are repeat sequences of non-coding DNA that cap the ends of chromosomes and contribute to their stability and the genomic integrity of cells. In evolutionary ecology, the main research target regarding these genomic structures has been their role in ageing and as a potential index of age. However, research on humans shows that a number of traits contribute to among-individual differences in telomere length, in particular traits enhancing cell division and genetic erosion, such as levels of free radicals and stress. In lizards, tail loss owing to predation attempts results in a stress-induced shift to a more cryptic lifestyle. In sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) males, telomere length was compromised by tail regrowth in a body size-related manner, so that small males, which already exhibit more cryptic mating tactics, were less affected than larger males. Tail regrowth just fell short of having a significant relationship with telomere length in females, and so did age in males. In females, there was a significant positive relationship between age and telomere length. We conclude that the proximate effect of compromised antipredation and its associated stress seems to have a more pronounced effect in males than in females and that age-associated telomere dynamics differ between the sexes.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…DNA extractions followed a standard protocol (Pauliny et al 2006). Telomere restriction fragments (TRFs) were prepared as described previously (Pauliny et al 2006).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Proximate determinants of telomere length in sand lizards ( Lacerta agilis )

et al. 2010

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“…Similar phenomena has been shown in other long‐lived adult birds and reptiles, including the long‐lived Barnacle goose ( Branta leucopsis ) (Pauliny, Larsson, & Blomqvist, 2012), Wandering albatross ( Diomedea exulans ), European shag ( Phalacrocorax Aristotelis ) (Hall et al., 2004), and Leatherback turtle ( Dermochelys coriacea ) (Plot, Criscuolo, Zahn, & Georges, 2012). Previous studies show that telomere shortening is correlated with decreased survival (Bize et al., 2009), reduced likelihood of return (Salomons et al., 2009), and lower lifelong reproductive success (Pauliny et al., 2006), even with adult maintenance of telomeres (Salomons et al., 2009), so there may be a survival advantage to longer telomeres.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As the change in age for all individuals was 3 years, and TROC did not vary by age, we compared each bird's telomere length in 2007 to its telomere length in 2010. As all individuals were resampled, we used a paired t test to compare means, an accepted technique when comparing telomere lengths of birds resampled longitudinally (Pauliny, Wagner, Augustin, Szep, & Blomqvist, 2006). Also, as all birds were 3 years older when resampled, we asked whether telomere length had shortened in 3 years.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magellanic penguin telomeres do not shorten with age with increased reproductive effort, investment, and basal corticosterone

Cerchiara

Risques

Prunkard

et al. 2017

Ecology and Evolution

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All species should invest in systems that enhance longevity; however, a fundamental adult life‐history trade‐off exists between the metabolic resources allocated to maintenance and those allocated to reproduction. Long‐lived species will invest more in reproduction than in somatic maintenance as they age. We investigated this trade‐off by analyzing correlations among telomere length, reproductive effort and output, and basal corticosterone in Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus). Telomeres shorten with age in most species studied to date, and may affect adult survival. High basal corticosterone is indicative of stressful conditions. Corticosterone, and stress, has been linked to telomere shortening in other species. Magellanic penguins are a particularly good model organism for this question as they are an unusually long‐lived species, exceeding their mass‐adjusted predicted lifespan by 26%. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found adults aged 5 years to over 24 years of age had similar telomere lengths. Telomeres of adults did not shorten over a 3‐year period, regardless of the age of the individual. Neither telomere length, nor the rate at which the telomeres changed over these 3 years, correlated with breeding frequency or investment. Older females also produced larger volume clutches until approximately 15 years old and larger eggs produced heavier fledglings. Furthermore, reproductive success (chicks fledged/eggs laid) is maintained as females aged. Basal corticosterone, however, was not correlated with telomere length in adults and suggests that low basal corticosterone may play a role in the telomere maintenance we observed. Basal corticosterone also declined during the breeding season and was positively correlated with the age of adult penguins. This higher basal corticosterone in older individuals, and consistent reproductive success, supports the prediction that Magellanic penguins invest more in reproduction as they age. Our results demonstrate that telomere maintenance may be a component of longevity even with increased reproductive effort, investment, and basal corticosterone.

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“…Tachycineta bicolor (Haussmann et al 2003) (Pauliny et al 2006, Haussmann & Mauck 2008 Fregata minor (Juola et al 2006) Oceanodroma leucorhoa 36 (Haussmann et al 2003) Larus crassirostris (Hall et al 2004) Homo sapiens (Epel et al 2004) (Kitaysky et al 1999) …”

Section: Taeniopygia Guttatamentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between telomere length and age in Black-tailed Gull

Mizutani¹,

Tomita²,

Kazama³

et al. 2009

Jpn. J. Ornithol.

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. 2009. Relationship between telomere length and age in Black-tailed Gull. Jpn. J. Abstract. We investigated telomere length of Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris (chick and adult) in Rishiri Island, Hokkaido and Kabushima, Aomori in relation to their age. DNAs were extracted from their bloods and detected telomere length. Telomere lengths were significantly decreased with gulls age. But coefficient value was too small because of large variability of telomere length in both chick and adult. We suggest that it is difficult for Black-tailed Gull to estimate their age by using telomere length.

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Age‐independent telomere length predicts fitness in two bird Species

Cited by 148 publications

References 40 publications

Proximate determinants of telomere length in sand lizards ( Lacerta agilis )

Proximate determinants of telomere length in sand lizards ( Lacerta agilis )

Magellanic penguin telomeres do not shorten with age with increased reproductive effort, investment, and basal corticosterone

Relationship between telomere length and age in Black-tailed Gull

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