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Individual telomere dynamics and their links to life history in a viviparous lizard.

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Title: Individual telomere dynamics and their links to life history in a viviparous lizard.
Authors: Fitzpatrick, L. J.1 uisa.fitzpatrick@utas.edu.au, Olsson, M.2, Pauliny, A.2, While, G. M.1, Wapstra, E.1
Source: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 5/26/2021, Vol. 288 Issue 1951, p1-9. 9p.
Subjects: Viviparous lizard, Telomeres, Life history theory, Adults, Warm-blooded animals
Abstract: Emerging patterns suggest telomere dynamics and life history are fundamentally linked in endotherms through life-history traits that mediate the processes underlying telomere attrition. Unlike endotherms, ectotherms maintain the ability to lengthen somatic telomeres throughout life and the link between life-history strategies and ectotherm telomere dynamics is unknown. In a well-characterized model system (Niveoscincus ocellatus), we used long-term longitudinal data to study telomere dynamics across climatically divergent populations. We found longer telomeres in individuals from the cool highlands than those from the warm lowlands at birth and as adults. The key determinant of adult telomere length across populations was telomere length at birth, with population-specific effects of age and growth on adult telomere length. The reproductive effort had no proximate effect on telomere length in either population. Maternal factors influenced telomere length at birth in thewarmlowlands but not the cool highlands. Our results demonstrate that life-history traits can have pervasive and context-dependent effects on telomere dynamics in ectotherms bothwithin and between populations. We argue that these telomere dynamicsmay reflect the populations' different life histories, with the slow-growing cool highland population investing more into telomere lengthening compared to the earlier-maturing warm lowland population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database: Engineering Source
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Abstract:Emerging patterns suggest telomere dynamics and life history are fundamentally linked in endotherms through life-history traits that mediate the processes underlying telomere attrition. Unlike endotherms, ectotherms maintain the ability to lengthen somatic telomeres throughout life and the link between life-history strategies and ectotherm telomere dynamics is unknown. In a well-characterized model system (Niveoscincus ocellatus), we used long-term longitudinal data to study telomere dynamics across climatically divergent populations. We found longer telomeres in individuals from the cool highlands than those from the warm lowlands at birth and as adults. The key determinant of adult telomere length across populations was telomere length at birth, with population-specific effects of age and growth on adult telomere length. The reproductive effort had no proximate effect on telomere length in either population. Maternal factors influenced telomere length at birth in thewarmlowlands but not the cool highlands. Our results demonstrate that life-history traits can have pervasive and context-dependent effects on telomere dynamics in ectotherms bothwithin and between populations. We argue that these telomere dynamicsmay reflect the populations' different life histories, with the slow-growing cool highland population investing more into telomere lengthening compared to the earlier-maturing warm lowland population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:09628452
DOI:10.1098/rspb.2021.0271