| Autor: |
Kramer BH; Faculty of Science and Engineering, Theoretical Research in Evolutionary Life Sciences, RUG, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands., Nehring V; Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, 79104 Freiburg (Brsg.), Germany., Buttstedt A; Institute for Biology - Molecular Ecology, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Saale, Hoher Weg 4, 06099 Halle, Germany., Heinze J; Zoology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany., Korb J; Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, 79104 Freiburg (Brsg.), Germany., Libbrecht R; Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution (IOME), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 15, 55128 Mainz, Germany., Meusemann K; Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, 79104 Freiburg (Brsg.), Germany., Paxton RJ; Institute for Biology - General Zoology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle, Germany., Séguret A; Institute for Biology - General Zoology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle, Germany., Schaub F; Department of Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology I (Zoology), University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, 79104 Freiburg (Brsg.), Germany., Bernadou A; Zoology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, 93053 Regensburg, Germany. |
| Abstrakt: |
The life-prolonging effects of antioxidants have long entered popular culture, but the scientific community still debates whether free radicals and the resulting oxidative stress negatively affect longevity. Social insects are intriguing models for analysing the relationship between oxidative stress and senescence because life histories differ vastly between long-lived reproductives and the genetically similar but short-lived workers. Here, we present the results of an experiment on the accumulation of oxidative damage to proteins, and a comparative analysis of the expression of 20 selected genes commonly involved in managing oxidative damage, across four species of social insects: a termite, two bees and an ant. Although the source of analysed tissue varied across the four species, our results suggest that oxidative stress is a significant factor in senescence and that its manifestation and antioxidant defenses differ among species, making it difficult to find general patterns. More detailed and controlled investigations on why responses to oxidative stress may differ across social species may lead to a better understanding of the relations between oxidative stress, antioxidants, social life history and senescence. This article is part of the theme issue 'Ageing and sociality: why, when and how does sociality change ageing patterns?' |
