1
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Ankrah PK, Mensah ED, Dabie K, Mensah C, Akangbe B, Essuman J. Harnessing Genetics to Extend Lifespan and Healthspan: Current Progress and Future Directions. Cureus 2024; 16:e55495. [PMID: 38571872 PMCID: PMC10990068 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.55495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Aging is inevitable, but the lifespan (duration of life) and healthspan (healthy aging) vary greatly among individuals and across species. Unlocking the secrets behind these differences has captivated scientific curiosity for ages. This review presents relevant recent advances in genetics and cell biology that are shedding new light by untangling how subtle changes in conserved genes, pathways, and epigenetic factors influence organismal senescence and associated declines. Biogerontology is a complex and rapidly growing field aimed at elucidating genetic modifications that extend lifespan and healthspan. This review explores gerontogenes, genes influencing lifespan and healthspan across species. Though subtle differences exist, long-lived individuals such as centenarians demonstrate extended healthspans, and numerous studies confirm the heritability of longevity/healthspan genes. Importantly, genes and gerontogenes are directly and indirectly involved in DNA repair, insulin/IGF-1 and mTOR signaling pathways, long non-coding RNAs, sirtuins, and heat shock proteins. The complex interactions between genetics and epigenetics are teased apart. While more research into optimizing healthspan is needed, conserved gerontogenes offer synergistic potential to forestall aging and age-related diseases. Understanding complex longevity genetics brings closer the goal of extending not only lifespan but quality years of life. The primary aim of human Biogerontology is to enhance lifespan and healthspan, but the question remains: are current genetic modifications effectively promoting healthy aging? This article collates the advancements in gerontogenes that enhance lifespan and improve healthspan alongside their potential challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Enock D Mensah
- Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, USA
| | - Kwabena Dabie
- Chemistry and Chemical Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA
| | - Caleb Mensah
- Translational Biology, Medicine and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, USA
| | | | - Jonathan Essuman
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA
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2
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Aguilar P, Dag B, Carazo P, Sultanova Z. Sex-specific paternal age effects on offspring quality in Drosophila melanogaster. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:720-729. [PMID: 36946550 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Advanced paternal age has been repeatedly shown to modulate offspring quality via male- and/or female-driven processes, and there are theoretical reasons to expect that some of these effects can be sex-specific. For example, sex allocation theory predicts that, when mated with low-condition males, mothers should invest more in their daughters compared to their sons. This is because male fitness is generally more condition-dependent and more variable than female fitness, which makes it less risky to invest in female offspring. Here, we explore whether paternal age can affect the quality and quantity of offspring in a sex-specific way using Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism. In order to understand the contribution of male-driven processes on paternal age effects, we also measured the seminal vesicle size of young and older males and explored its relationship with reproductive success and offspring quality. Older males had lower competitive reproductive success, as expected, but there was no difference between the offspring sex ratio of young and older males. However, we found that paternal age caused an increase in offspring quality (i.e., offspring weight), and that this increase was more marked in daughters than sons. We discuss different male- and female-driven processes that may explain such sex-specific paternal age effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prem Aguilar
- CIBIO Research Centre in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Vairão, Portugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Berfin Dag
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Pau Carazo
- Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, Valencia, Spain
| | - Zahida Sultanova
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
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3
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Duxbury EML, Carlsson H, Sales K, Sultanova Z, Immler S, Chapman T, Maklakov AA. Multigenerational downregulation of insulin/IGF-1 signaling in adulthood improves lineage survival, reproduction, and fitness in Caenorhabditis elegans supporting the developmental theory of ageing. Evolution 2022; 76:2829-2845. [PMID: 36199198 PMCID: PMC10092551 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Adulthood-only downregulation of insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS), an evolutionarily conserved pathway regulating resource allocation between somatic maintenance and reproduction, increases life span without fecundity cost in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. However, long-term multigenerational effects of reduced IIS remain unexplored and are proposed to carry costs for offspring quality. To test this hypothesis, we ran a mutation accumulation (MA) experiment and downregulated IIS in half of the 400 MA lines by silencing daf-2 gene expression using RNA interference (RNAi) across 40 generations. Contrary to the prediction, adulthood-only daf-2 RNAi reduced extinction of MA lines both under UV-induced and spontaneous MA. Fitness of the surviving UV-induced MA lines was higher under daf-2 RNAi. Reduced IIS increased intergenerational F1 offspring fitness under UV stress but had no quantifiable transgenerational effects. Functional hrde-1 was required for the benefits of multigenerational daf-2 RNAi. Overall, we found net benefit to fitness from multigenerational reduction of IIS and the benefits became more apparent under stress. Because reduced daf-2 expression during development carries fitness costs, we suggest that our findings are best explained by the developmental theory of ageing, which maintains that the decline in the force of selection with age results in poorly regulated gene expression in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M L Duxbury
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Hanne Carlsson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Kris Sales
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Zahida Sultanova
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Simone Immler
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Tracey Chapman
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Alexei A Maklakov
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
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4
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Sekajova Z, Rosa E, Spagopoulou F, Zervakis P, Lind MI. Temperature‐induced compensatory growth in the nematode
C. elegans
is regulated by a thermosensitive
TRP
channel and influences reproductive rate. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Sekajova
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University 752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Elena Rosa
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University 752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Foteini Spagopoulou
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University 752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | | | - Martin I. Lind
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University 752 36 Uppsala Sweden
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5
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Travers LM, Carlsson H, Lind MI, Maklakov AA. Beneficial cumulative effects of old parental age on offspring fitness. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211843. [PMID: 34641727 PMCID: PMC8511764 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Old parental age is commonly associated with negative effects on offspring life-history traits. Such parental senescence effects are predicted to have a cumulative detrimental effect over successive generations. However, old parents may benefit from producing higher quality offspring when these compete for seasonal resources. Thus, old parents may choose to increase investment in their offspring, thereby producing fewer but larger and more competitive progeny. We show that Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites increase parental investment with advancing age, resulting in fitter offspring who reach their reproductive peak earlier. Remarkably, these effects increased over six successive generations of breeding from old parents and were subsequently reversed following a single generation of breeding from a young parent. Our findings support the hypothesis that offspring of old parents receive more resources and convert them into increasingly faster life histories. These results contradict the theory that old parents transfer a cumulative detrimental 'ageing factor' to their offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Travers
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Hanne Carlsson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
| | - Martin I Lind
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alexei A Maklakov
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK
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6
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Zhang Y, Zhang J, Wang S. The Role of Rapamycin in Healthspan Extension via the Delay of Organ Aging. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 70:101376. [PMID: 34089901 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Aging can not only shorten a healthy lifespan, but can also lead to multi-organ dysfunction and failure. Anti-aging is a complex and worldwide conundrum for eliminating the various pathologies of senility. The past decade has seen great progress in the understanding of the aging-associated signaling pathways and their application for developing anti-aging approaches. Currently, some drugs can improve quality of life. The activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling is one of the core and detrimental mechanisms related to aging; rapamycin can reduce the rate of aging, improve age-related diseases by inhibiting the mTOR pathway, and prolong lifespan and healthspan effectively. However, the current evidence for rapamycin in lifespan extension and organ aging is fragmented and scattered. In this review, we summarize the efficacy and safety of rapamycin in prolonging a healthy lifespan by systematically alleviating aging in multiple organ systems, i.e., the nervous, urinary, digestive, circulatory, motor, respiratory, endocrine, reproductive, integumentary and immune systems, to provide a theoretical basis for the future clinical application of rapamycin in anti-aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Ministry of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jinjin Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Ministry of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Shixuan Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; National Clinical Research Center for Obstetrical and Gynecological Diseases, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis, Ministry of Education, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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7
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Mautz BS, Lind MI, Maklakov AA. Dietary Restriction Improves Fitness of Aging Parents But Reduces Fitness of Their Offspring in Nematodes. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2021; 75:843-848. [PMID: 31761926 PMCID: PMC7164528 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glz276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dietary restriction (DR) is a well-established intervention to extend lifespan across taxa. Recent studies suggest that DR-driven lifespan extension can be cost-free, calling into question a central tenant of the evolutionary theory of aging. Nevertheless, boosting parental longevity can reduce offspring fitness. Such intergenerational trade-offs are often ignored but can account for the "missing costs" of longevity. Here, we use the nematode Caenorhabditis remanei to test for effects of DR by fasting on fitness of females and their offspring. Females deprived of food for 6 days indeed had increased fecundity, survival, and stress resistance after re-exposure to food compared with their counterparts with constant food access. However, offspring of DR mothers had reduced early and lifetime fecundity, slower growth rate, and smaller body size at sexual maturity. These findings support the direct trade-off between investment in soma and gametes challenging the hypothesis that increased somatic maintenance and impaired reproduction can be decoupled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian S Mautz
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen, Sweden.,Department of Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Martin I Lind
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen, Sweden
| | - Alexei A Maklakov
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen, Sweden.,School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norfolk, UK
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8
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Stångberg J, Immonen E, Moreno PP, Bolund E. Experimentally induced intrasexual mating competition and sex-specific evolution in female and male nematodes. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:1677-1688. [PMID: 32945028 PMCID: PMC7756511 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Revised: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism in life history traits and their trade-offs is widespread among sexually reproducing animals and is strongly influenced by the differences in reproductive strategies between the sexes. We investigated how intrasexual competition influenced specific life history traits, important to fitness and their trade-offs in the outcrossing nematode Caenorhabditis remanei. Here, we altered the strength of sex-specific selection through experimental evolution with increased potential for intrasexual competition by skewing the adult sex ratio towards either females or males (1:10 or 10:1) over 30 generations and subsequently measured the phenotypic response to selection in three traits related to fitness: body size, fecundity and tolerance to heat stress. We observed a greater evolutionary change in females than males for body size and peak fitness, suggesting that females may experience stronger net selection and potentially harbour higher amounts of standing genetic variance compared to males. Our study highlights the importance of investigating direct and indirect effects of intrasexual competition in both sexes in order to capture sex-specific responses and understand the evolution of sexual dimorphism in traits expressed by both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefine Stångberg
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elina Immonen
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Pilar Puimedon Moreno
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Elisabeth Bolund
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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9
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Lind MI, Zwoinska MK, Andersson J, Carlsson H, Krieg T, Larva T, Maklakov AA. Environmental variation mediates the evolution of anticipatory parental effects. Evol Lett 2020; 4:371-381. [PMID: 32774885 PMCID: PMC7403678 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Theory maintains that when future environment is predictable, parents should adjust the phenotype of their offspring to match the anticipated environment. The plausibility of positive anticipatory parental effects is hotly debated and the experimental evidence for the evolution of such effects is currently lacking. We experimentally investigated the evolution of anticipatory maternal effects in a range of environments that differ drastically in how predictable they are. Populations of the nematode Caenorhabditis remanei, adapted to 20°C, were exposed to a novel temperature (25°C) for 30 generations with either positive or zero correlation between parent and offspring environment. We found that populations evolving in novel environments that were predictable across generations evolved a positive anticipatory maternal effect, because they required maternal exposure to 25°C to achieve maximum reproduction in that temperature. In contrast, populations evolving under zero environmental correlation had lost this anticipatory maternal effect. Similar but weaker patterns were found if instead rate‐sensitive population growth was used as a fitness measure. These findings demonstrate that anticipatory parental effects evolve in response to environmental change so that ill‐fitting parental effects can be rapidly lost. Evolution of positive anticipatory parental effects can aid population viability in rapidly changing but predictable environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin I Lind
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University Uppsala 752 36 Sweden.,Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Department of Biology Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Trondheim NO-7491 Norway
| | - Martyna K Zwoinska
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University Uppsala 752 36 Sweden
| | - Johan Andersson
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University Uppsala 752 36 Sweden
| | - Hanne Carlsson
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University Uppsala 752 36 Sweden.,School of Biological Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ United Kingdom
| | - Therese Krieg
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University Uppsala 752 36 Sweden
| | - Tuuli Larva
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University Uppsala 752 36 Sweden
| | - Alexei A Maklakov
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University Uppsala 752 36 Sweden.,School of Biological Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ United Kingdom
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10
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Spagopoulou F, Teplitsky C, Lind MI, Chantepie S, Gustafsson L, Maklakov AA. Silver-spoon upbringing improves early-life fitness but promotes reproductive ageing in a wild bird. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:994-1002. [PMID: 32239642 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2020] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Early-life conditions can have long-lasting effects and organisms that experience a poor start in life are often expected to age at a faster rate. Alternatively, individuals raised in high-quality environments can overinvest in early-reproduction resulting in rapid ageing. Here we use a long-term experimental manipulation of early-life conditions in a natural population of collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis), to show that females raised in a low-competition environment (artificially reduced broods) have higher early-life reproduction but lower late-life reproduction than females raised in high-competition environment (artificially increased broods). Reproductive success of high-competition females peaked in late-life, when low-competition females were already in steep reproductive decline and suffered from a higher mortality rate. Our results demonstrate that 'silver-spoon' natal conditions increase female early-life performance at the cost of faster reproductive ageing and increased late-life mortality. These findings demonstrate experimentally that natal environment shapes individual variation in reproductive and actuarial ageing in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Foteini Spagopoulou
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Norbyvagen 18D, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Céline Teplitsky
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Univ Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Martin I Lind
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Norbyvagen 18D, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Stéphane Chantepie
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Lars Gustafsson
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Norbyvagen 18D, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alexei A Maklakov
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Norbyvagen 18D, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden.,School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK
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11
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Zwoinska MK, Larva T, Sekajova Z, Carlsson H, Meurling S, Maklakov AA. Artificial selection for increased dispersal results in lower fitness. J Evol Biol 2019; 33:217-224. [PMID: 31677316 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Dispersal often covaries with other traits, and this covariation was shown to have a genetic basis. Here, we wanted to explore to what extent genetic constraints and correlational selection can explain patterns of covariation between dispersal and key life-history traits-lifespan and reproduction. A prediction from the fitness-associated dispersal hypothesis was that lower genetic quality is associated with higher dispersal propensity as driven by the benefits of genetic mixing. We wanted to contrast it with a prediction from a different model that individuals putting more emphasis on current rather than future reproduction disperse more, as they are expected to be more risk-prone and exploratory. However, if dispersal has inherent costs, this will also result in a negative genetic correlation between higher rates of dispersal and some aspects of performance. To explore this issue, we used the dioecious nematode Caenorhabditis remanei and selected for increased and decreased dispersal propensity for 10 generations, followed by five generations of relaxed selection. Dispersal propensity responded to selection, and females from high-dispersal lines dispersed more than females from low-dispersal lines. Females selected for increased dispersal propensity produced fewer offspring and were more likely to die from matricide, which is associated with a low physiological condition in Caenorhabditis nematodes. There was no evidence for differences in age-specific reproductive effort between high- and low-dispersal females. Rather, reproductive output of high-dispersal females was consistently reduced. We argue that our data provide support for the fitness-associated dispersal hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martyna K Zwoinska
- Department of Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tuuli Larva
- Department of Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Zuzana Sekajova
- Department of Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hanne Carlsson
- Department of Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Sara Meurling
- Department of Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alexei A Maklakov
- Department of Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
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12
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Berg EC, Lind MI, Monahan S, Bricout S, Maklakov AA. Kin but less than kind: within-group male relatedness does not increase female fitness in seed beetles. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191664. [PMID: 31506055 PMCID: PMC6742989 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Theory maintains within-group male relatedness can mediate sexual conflict by reducing male-male competition and collateral harm to females. We tested whether male relatedness can lessen female harm in the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus. Male relatedness did not influence female lifetime reproductive success or individual fitness across two different ecologically relevant scenarios of mating competition. However, male relatedness marginally improved female survival. Because male relatedness improved female survival in late life when C. maculatus females are no longer producing offspring, our results do not provide support for the role of within-group male relatedness in mediating sexual conflict. The fact that male relatedness improves the post-reproductive part of the female life cycle strongly suggests that the effect is non-adaptive. We discuss adaptive and non-adaptive mechanisms that could result in reduced female harm in this and previous studies, and suggest that cognitive error is a likely explanation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena C Berg
- Department of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Science, The American University of Paris, Paris, France
| | - Martin I Lind
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Shannon Monahan
- Department of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Science, The American University of Paris, Paris, France
| | - Sophie Bricout
- Department of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Science, The American University of Paris, Paris, France
| | - Alexei A Maklakov
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.,School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
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13
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Gomez SR, Morgans S, Kristan DM. Rapamycin exposure to host and to adult worms affects life history traits of Heligmosomoides bakeri. Exp Parasitol 2019; 204:107720. [PMID: 31279929 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2019.107720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Parasite life history can be affected by conditions of the host and of the external environment. Rapamycin, a known immunosuppressant of mammals, was fed to laboratory mice that were then infected with the Trichostrongylid nematode Heligmosomoides bakeri to determine if host rapamycin exposure would affect parasite survival, growth, and reproduction. In addition, adult worms from control fed mice were directly exposed to rapamycin to assess if rapamycin would affect worm viability and ex vivo reproduction. We found that host ingestion of rapamycin did not affect H. bakeri survival or growth for male or female worms, but female worms had increased reproduction both in vivo and when removed from the host and cultured ex vivo. After direct rapamycin exposure, motility of female worms was greater at low levels of rapamycin compared to high levels of rapamycin or high levels of DMSO (the vehicle used to solubilize rapamycin) in control media, but was similar to females in low levels of DMSO in control media. Male motility was not affected by the presence of rapamycin or DMSO in the media. Ex vivo egg deposition was higher when exposed to rapamycin than when cultured in control media that contained DMSO, regardless of DMSO dose. Overall, we conclude that host ingestion of rapamycin or direct exposure to rapamycin was generally favorable or neutral for parasite life history traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Gomez
- Department of Biological Sciences, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd, California State University San Marcos, San Marcos, CA, 92096, USA
| | - Scott Morgans
- Department of Biological Sciences, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd, California State University San Marcos, San Marcos, CA, 92096, USA
| | - Deborah M Kristan
- Department of Biological Sciences, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Rd, California State University San Marcos, San Marcos, CA, 92096, USA.
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14
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Lind MI, Ravindran S, Sekajova Z, Carlsson H, Hinas A, Maklakov AA. Experimentally reduced insulin/IGF-1 signaling in adulthood extends lifespan of parents and improves Darwinian fitness of their offspring. Evol Lett 2019; 3:207-216. [PMID: 31007945 PMCID: PMC6457396 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Classical theory maintains that ageing evolves via energy trade-offs between reproduction and survival leading to accumulation of unrepaired cellular damage with age. In contrast, the emerging new theory postulates that ageing evolves because of deleterious late-life hyper-function of reproduction-promoting genes leading to excessive biosynthesis in late-life. The hyper-function theory uniquely predicts that optimizing nutrient-sensing molecular signaling in adulthood can simultaneously postpone ageing and increase Darwinian fitness. Here, we show that reducing evolutionarily conserved insulin/IGF-1 nutrient-sensing signaling via daf-2 RNA interference (RNAi) fulfils this prediction in Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes. Long-lived daf-2 RNAi parents showed normal fecundity as self-fertilizing hermaphrodites and improved late-life reproduction when mated to males. Remarkably, the offspring of daf-2 RNAi parents had higher Darwinian fitness across three different genotypes. Thus, reduced nutrient-sensing signaling in adulthood improves both parental longevity and offspring fitness supporting the emerging view that suboptimal gene expression in late-life lies at the heart of ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin I. Lind
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and GeneticsUppsala UniversityUppsala752 36Sweden
| | - Sanjana Ravindran
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and GeneticsUppsala UniversityUppsala752 36Sweden
| | - Zuzana Sekajova
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and GeneticsUppsala UniversityUppsala752 36Sweden
| | - Hanne Carlsson
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and GeneticsUppsala UniversityUppsala752 36Sweden
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichNR4 7TJUnited Kingdom
| | - Andrea Hinas
- Department of Cell and Molecular BiologyUppsala UniversityUppsala751 24Sweden
| | - Alexei A. Maklakov
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and GeneticsUppsala UniversityUppsala752 36Sweden
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of East AngliaNorwichNR4 7TJUnited Kingdom
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15
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Ancell H, Pires-daSilva A. Sex-specific lifespan and its evolution in nematodes. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2017; 70:122-129. [PMID: 28554570 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Revised: 05/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Differences between sexes of the same species in lifespan and aging rate are widespread. While the proximal and evolutionary causes of aging are well researched, the factors that contribute to sex differences in these traits have been less studied. The striking diversity of nematodes provides ample opportunity to study variation in sex-specific lifespan patterns associated with shifts in life history and mating strategy. Although the plasticity of these sex differences will make it challenging to generalize from invertebrate to vertebrate systems, studies in nematodes have enabled empirical evaluation of predictions regarding the evolution of lifespan. These studies have highlighted how natural and sexual selection can generate divergent patterns of lifespan if the sexes are subject to different rates or sources of mortality, or if trade-offs between complex traits and longevity are resolved differently in each sex. Here, we integrate evidence derived mainly from nematodes that addresses the molecular and evolutionary basis of sex-specific aging and lifespan. Ultimately, we hope to generate a clearer picture of current knowledge in this area, and also highlight the limitations of our understanding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Ancell
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
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16
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Lind MI, Chen HY, Cortazar-Chinarro M, Maklakov AA. Rapamycin additively extends lifespan in short- and long-lived lines of the nematode Caenorhabditis remanei. Exp Gerontol 2017; 90:79-82. [DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2017.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2016] [Revised: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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17
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Lind MI, Chen H, Meurling S, Guevara Gil AC, Carlsson H, Zwoinska MK, Andersson J, Larva T, Maklakov AA. Slow development as an evolutionary cost of long life. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin I. Lind
- Animal Ecology Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University 752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Hwei‐yen Chen
- Animal Ecology Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University 752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Sara Meurling
- Animal Ecology Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University 752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | | | - Hanne Carlsson
- Animal Ecology Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University 752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Martyna K. Zwoinska
- Animal Ecology Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University 752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Johan Andersson
- Animal Ecology Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University 752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Tuuli Larva
- Animal Ecology Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University 752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Alexei A. Maklakov
- Animal Ecology Department of Ecology and Genetics Uppsala University 752 36 Uppsala Sweden
- School of Biological Sciences University of East Anglia Norwich Research Park Norwich NR4 7TJ UK
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18
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Brooks RC, Garratt MG. Life history evolution, reproduction, and the origins of sex-dependent aging and longevity. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2016; 1389:92-107. [PMID: 28009055 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.13302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2016] [Revised: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 11/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Males and females in many species differ in how they age and how long they live. These differences have motivated much research, concerning both their evolution and the underlying mechanisms that cause them. We review how differences in male and female life histories have evolved to shape patterns of aging and some of the mechanisms and pathways involved. We pay particular attention to three areas where considerable potential for synergy between mechanistic and evolutionary research exists: (1) the role of estrogens, androgens, the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor 1 pathway, and the mechanistic target of rapamycin signaling pathway in sex-dependent growth and reproduction; (2) sexual conflict over mating rate and fertility, and how mate presence or mating can become an avenue for males and females to directly affect each other's life span; and (3) the link between dietary restriction and aging, and the emerging understanding that only the restriction of certain nutrients is involved and that this is linked to reproduction. We suggest that ideas about life histories, sex-dependent selection, and sexual conflict can inform and be informed by the ever more refined and complex understanding of the mechanisms that cause aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert C Brooks
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Kensington, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Michael G Garratt
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre, and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Kensington, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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19
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Arriola Apelo SI, Lamming DW. Rapamycin: An InhibiTOR of Aging Emerges From the Soil of Easter Island. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2016; 71:841-9. [PMID: 27208895 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glw090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapamycin (sirolimus) is a macrolide immunosuppressant that inhibits the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) protein kinase and extends lifespan in model organisms including mice. Although rapamycin is an FDA-approved drug for select indications, a diverse set of negative side effects may preclude its wide-scale deployment as an antiaging therapy. mTOR forms two different protein complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2; the former is acutely sensitive to rapamycin whereas the latter is only chronically sensitive to rapamycin in vivo. Over the past decade, it has become clear that although genetic and pharmacological inhibition of mTORC1 extends lifespan and delays aging, inhibition of mTORC2 has negative effects on mammalian health and longevity and is responsible for many of the negative side effects of rapamycin. In this review, we discuss recent advances in understanding the molecular and physiological effects of rapamycin treatment, and we discuss how the use of alternative rapamycin treatment regimens or rapamycin analogs has the potential to mitigate the deleterious side effects of rapamycin treatment by more specifically targeting mTORC1. Although the side effects of rapamycin are still of significant concern, rapid progress is being made in realizing the revolutionary potential of rapamycin-based therapies for the treatment of diseases of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian I Arriola Apelo
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison and William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Dudley W Lamming
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison and William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin.
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20
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Reichard M. Evolutionary ecology of aging: time to reconcile field and laboratory research. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:2988-3000. [PMID: 27069592 PMCID: PMC4809807 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Revised: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is an increase in mortality risk with age due to a decline in vital functions. Research on aging has entered an exciting phase. Advances in biogerontology have demonstrated that proximate mechanisms of aging and interventions to modify lifespan are shared among species. In nature, aging patterns have proven more diverse than previously assumed. The paradigm that extrinsic mortality ultimately determines evolution of aging rates has been questioned and there appears to be a mismatch between intra‐ and inter‐specific patterns. The major challenges emerging in evolutionary ecology of aging are a lack of understanding of the complexity in functional senescence under natural conditions and unavailability of estimates of aging rates for matched populations exposed to natural and laboratory conditions. I argue that we need to reconcile laboratory and field‐based approaches to better understand (1) how aging rates (baseline mortality and the rate of increase in mortality with age) vary across populations within a species, (2) how genetic and environmental variation interact to modulate individual expression of aging rates, and (3) how much intraspecific variation in lifespan is attributable to an intrinsic (i.e., nonenvironmental) component. I suggest integration of laboratory and field assays using multiple matched populations of the same species, along with measures of functional declines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Reichard
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Brno Czech Republic
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21
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Zwoinska MK, Lind MI, Cortazar-Chinarro M, Ramsden M, Maklakov AA. Selection on learning performance results in the correlated evolution of sexual dimorphism in life history. Evolution 2016; 70:342-57. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Revised: 01/04/2016] [Accepted: 01/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martyna K. Zwoinska
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre; Uppsala University; Uppsala Sweden
| | - Martin I. Lind
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre; Uppsala University; Uppsala Sweden
| | - Maria Cortazar-Chinarro
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre; Uppsala University; Uppsala Sweden
| | - Mark Ramsden
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre; Uppsala University; Uppsala Sweden
| | - Alexei A. Maklakov
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre; Uppsala University; Uppsala Sweden
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