1
|
Power ML, Ransome RD, Riquier S, Romaine L, Jones G, Teeling EC. Hibernation telomere dynamics in a shifting climate: insights from wild greater horseshoe bats. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231589. [PMID: 37817598 PMCID: PMC10565397 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Hibernation is linked with various hypotheses to explain the extended lifespan of hibernating mammals compared with their non-hibernating counterparts. Studies on telomeres, markers of ageing and somatic maintenance, suggest telomere shortening slows during hibernation, and lengthening may reflect self-maintenance with favourable conditions. Bats in temperate zones adjust body temperatures during winter torpor to conserve energy and exploit mild conditions for foraging. Climate change may impact the hibernation cycle of bats, but more research is needed regarding the role of telomeres in understanding their response to a changing climate. Here, relative telomere length (rTL) was measured in the long-lived greater horseshoe bat Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (n = 223 individuals) over three winters, considering climatic conditions. Cross-sectional analyses revealed between-individual variation in rTL with a strong year effect, likely linked to varying weather conditions and foraging success. Additionally, within-individual increases of rTL occurred in 51% of consecutive measurements, with evidence of increasing telomerase expression during hibernation in this species. These findings highlight the beneficial effects of hibernation on telomeres and potential consequences of changing climatic conditions for long-lived temperate bats. Understanding the interplay between hibernation, telomeres, and climate can provide insights into the adaptive capacity and survival of bat populations facing environmental challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Megan L Power
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland
| | - Roger D Ransome
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Sébastien Riquier
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland
| | - Luke Romaine
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Gareth Jones
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Emma C Teeling
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Science Centre West, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
van Lieshout SHJ, Badás EP, Bright Ross JG, Bretman A, Newman C, Buesching CD, Burke T, Macdonald DW, Dugdale HL. Early-life seasonal, weather and social effects on telomere length in a wild mammal. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:5993-6007. [PMID: 34101279 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Early-life environmental conditions can provide a source of individual variation in life-history strategies and senescence patterns. Conditions experienced in early life can be quantified by measuring telomere length, which can act as a biomarker of survival probability in some species. Here, we investigate whether seasonal changes, weather conditions and group size are associated with early-life and/or early-adulthood telomere length in a wild population of European badgers (Meles meles). We found substantial intra-annual changes in telomere length during the first 3 years of life, where within-individual effects showed shorter telomere lengths in the winter following the first spring and a trend for longer telomere lengths in the second spring compared to the first winter. In terms of weather conditions, cubs born in warmer, wetter springs with low rainfall variability had longer early-life (3-12 months old) telomeres. Additionally, cubs born in groups with more cubs had marginally longer early-life telomeres, providing no evidence of resource constraint from cub competition. We also found that the positive association between early-life telomere length and cub survival probability remained when social and weather variables were included. Finally, after sexual maturity, in early adulthood (i.e., 12-36 months) we found no significant association between same-sex adult group size and telomere length (i.e., no effect of intrasexual competition). Overall, we show that controlling for seasonal effects, which are linked to food availability, is important in telomere length analyses, and that variation in telomere length in badgers reflects early-life conditions and also predicts first year cub survival.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sil H J van Lieshout
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.,NERC Environmental Omics Visitor Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Elisa P Badás
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Julius G Bright Ross
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Abingdon, UK
| | - Amanda Bretman
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Chris Newman
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Abingdon, UK
| | - Christina D Buesching
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Abingdon, UK.,Department of Biology, The University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Terry Burke
- NERC Environmental Omics Visitor Facility, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - David W Macdonald
- Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Abingdon, UK
| | - Hannah L Dugdale
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mikes M, Rice SA, Bibus D, Kitaysky A, Drew KL. Translating PUFA omega 6:3 ratios from wild to captive hibernators (Urocitellus parryii) enhances sex-dependent mass-gain without increasing physiological stress indicators. J Comp Physiol B 2022; 192:529-540. [PMID: 35503574 PMCID: PMC9197884 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-022-01437-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are well-documented for their influence on health and weight loss. Recent studies indicate omega 3 PUFAs may exert a negative impact on cellular stress and physiology in some hibernators. We asked if physiological stress indicators, lipid peroxidation and mass gain in Arctic Ground Squirrels (AGS) were negatively influenced by naturally occurring dietary omega 3 PUFA levels compared to omega 3 PUFA levels found in common laboratory diets. We found plasma fatty acid profiles of free-ranging AGS to be high in omega 3 PUFAs with balanced omega 6:3 ratios, while standard laboratory diets and plasma of captive AGS are high in omega 6 and low in omega 3 PUFAs with higher omega 6:3 ratios. Subsequently, we designed a diet to mimick free-range AGS omega 6:3 ratios in captive AGS. Groups of wild-caught juvenile AGS were either fed: (1) Mazuri Rodent Chow (Standard Rodent chow, 4.95 omega 6:3 ratio), or (2) balanced omega 6:3 chow (Balanced Diet, 1.38 omega 6:3). AGS fed the Balanced Diet had plasma omega 6:3 ratios that mimicked plasma profiles of wild AGS. Balanced Diet increased female body mass before hibernation, but did not influence levels of cortisol in plasma or levels of the lipid peroxidation product 4-HNE in brown adipose tissue. Overall, as the mass gain is critical during pre-hibernation for obligate hibernators, the results show that mimicking a fatty acid profile of wild AGS facilitates sex-dependent mass accumulation without increasing stress indicators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monica Mikes
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.,Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Sarah A Rice
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA. .,Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
| | - Doug Bibus
- Lipid Technologies, LLC, Austin, MN, USA
| | - Alexander Kitaysky
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.,Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Kelly L Drew
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.,Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wilbur SM, Deane CE, Breed GA, Buck CL, Williams C, Barnes BM. Survival estimates of free-living arctic ground squirrels: effects of sex and biologging. CAN J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2021-0156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Hibernation is associated with long lifespan: on average, hibernating mammals live 15% longer than non-hibernators of equivalent mass. We investigated how survival varies with sex, season, and the deployment of biologgers in arctic ground squirrels [Urocitellus parryii (Richardson, 1825)], a widely-distributed northern hibernator. The duration of hibernation in arctic ground squirrels differs markedly by sex: females hibernate 30% longer each year than males, a behavioural trait that could positively affect female survival. Additionally, males engage in aggressive territorial and food cache defense in spring and fall, which may decrease survival in this sex. From 13 years of mark-recapture data, we estimated apparent survival of arctic ground squirrels in Arctic Alaska using Cormack-Jolly-Seber models in Program MARK. We found that females had higher annual survival ["φ" ̂Fannual = 0.753 (0.469; 0.913 C.I.)] than males ["φ" ̂Mannual = 0.546 (0.416; 0.670)], with a maximum observed lifespan (10 years) that exceeded that of males (six years). We also show that biologger use and implantation did not significantly impact survival. Quantifying basic arctic ground squirrel demographics from this well-studied population illustrates how sex-specific hibernation parameters may influence lifespan differences in male and female arctic ground squirrels and provides support for the safety of biologging devices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara M. Wilbur
- University of Alaska Fairbanks, 11414, Institute of Arctic Biology, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
- Translational Genomics Research Institute Flagstaff, 525768, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
| | - Cody E. Deane
- University of Alaska Fairbanks, 11414, Institute of Arctic Biology, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
| | - Greg A Breed
- University of Alaska Fairbanks Department of Biology and Wildlife, 124480, Institute of Arctic Biology, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
| | - C. Loren Buck
- Northern Arizona University, 3356, Biological Sciences, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States
| | - Cory Williams
- University of Alaska Fairbanks, 11414, Institute of Arctic Biology, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
| | - Brian M. Barnes
- University of Alaska Fairbanks, 11414, Institute of Arctic Biology, Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Tessier SN, Ingelson-Filpula WA, Storey KB. Epigenetic regulation by DNA methyltransferases during torpor in the thirteen-lined ground squirrel Ictidomys tridecemlineatus. Mol Cell Biochem 2021; 476:3975-3985. [PMID: 34191233 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-021-04214-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The thirteen-lined ground squirrel, Ictidomys tridecemlineatus, is a mammal capable of lowering its Tb to almost 0 °C while undergoing deep torpor bouts over the winter. To decrease its metabolic rate to such a drastic extent, the squirrel must undergo multiple physiological, biological, and molecular alterations including downregulation of almost all nonessential processes. Epigenetic regulation allows for a dynamic range of transient phenotypes, allowing the squirrel to downregulate energy-expensive and nonessential pathways during torpor. DNA methylation is a prominent form of epigenetic regulation; therefore, the DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) family of enzymes were studied by measuring expression and activity levels of the five major proteins during torpor bouts. Additionally, specific cytosine marks on genomic DNA were quantified to further elucidate DNA methylation during hibernation. A tissue-specific response was observed that highlighted variant degrees of DNA methylation and DNMT expression/activity, demonstrating that DNA methylation is a highly complex form of epigenetic regulation and likely one of many regulatory mechanisms that enables metabolic rate depression in response to torpor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shannon N Tessier
- Institute of Biochemistry and Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada.,BioMEMS Resource Center & Center for Engineering in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School, 114 16th Street, Charlestown, MA, 02129, USA
| | - W Aline Ingelson-Filpula
- Institute of Biochemistry and Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Kenneth B Storey
- Institute of Biochemistry and Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Morinha F, Magalhães P, Blanco G. Standard guidelines for the publication of telomere qPCR results in evolutionary ecology. Mol Ecol Resour 2020; 20. [PMID: 32133733 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2019] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Telomere length has been used as a proxy of fitness, aging and lifespan in vertebrates. In the last decade, dozens of articles reporting on telomere dynamics in the fields of ecology and evolution have been published for a wide range of taxa. With this growing interest, it is necessary to ensure the accuracy and reproducibility of telomere length measurement techniques. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is routinely applied to measure relative telomere length. However, this technique is highly sensitive to several methodological variables and the optimization of qPCR telomere assays remains highly variable between studies. Therefore, standardized guidelines are required to enable the optimization of robust protocols, and to help in judging the validity of the presented results. This review provides an overview of preanalytical and analytical factors that can lead to qPCR inconsistencies and biases, including: (a) sample type, collection and storage; (b) DNA extraction, storage and quality; (c) qPCR primers, laboratory reagents, and assay conditions; and (d) data analysis. We propose a minimum level of information for publication of qPCR telomere assays in evolutionary ecology considering the methodological pitfalls and sources of error. This review highlights the complexity of the optimization and validation of qPCR for telomere measurement per se, demonstrating the importance of transparency and clarity of reporting methodological details required for reliable, reproducible and comparable qPCR telomere assays. We encourage efforts to implement standardized protocols that ensure the rigour and quality of telomere dynamics studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Morinha
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Paula Magalhães
- i3S-Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.,IBMC-Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Guillermo Blanco
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|