Natural variation in plant telomere length is associated with flowering time

Abstract Telomeres are highly repetitive DNA sequences found at the ends of chromosomes that protect the chromosomes from deterioration during cell division. Here, using whole genome re-sequencing and terminal restriction fragment assays, we found substantial natural intraspecific variation in telomere length in Arabidopsis thaliana, rice (Oryza sativa), and maize (Zea mays). Genome-wide association study (GWAS) mapping in A. thaliana identified 13 regions with GWAS-significant associations underlying telomere length variation, including a region that harbors the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene. Population genomic analysis provided evidence for a selective sweep at the TERT region associated with longer telomeres. We found that telomere length is negatively correlated with flowering time variation not only in A. thaliana, but also in maize and rice, indicating a link between life history traits and chromosome integrity. Our results point to several possible reasons for this correlation, including the possibility that longer telomeres may be more adaptive in plants that have faster developmental rates (and therefore flower earlier). Our work suggests that chromosomal structure itself might be an adaptive trait associated with plant life history strategies.

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Telomere lengths in plants are correlated with flowering time variation

10.1101/2020.07.04.188102 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jae Young Choi ◽

Michael D. Purugganan

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Telomere Length ◽

Flowering Time ◽

Dna Sequences ◽

Time Variation ◽

Life History Strategies ◽

Length Variation ◽

Sequencing Data ◽

Chromosomal Structure ◽

Chromosome Integrity

AbstractTelomeres are highly repetitive tandemly repeating DNA sequences found at chromosomal ends that protect chromosomes from deterioration during cell division. Using whole genome re-sequencing data, we found substantial natural intraspecific variation in telomere lengths in Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa (rice) and Zea mays (maize). Genome-wide association mapping in A. thaliana identifies a region that includes the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene as underlying telomere length variation. TERT appears to exist in two haplotype groups (L and S), of which the L haplogroup allele shows evidence of a selective sweep in Arabidopsis. We find that telomere length is negatively correlated with flowering time variation not only in A. thaliana, but also in maize and rice, indicating a link between life history traits and chromosome integrity. We suggest that longer telomeres may be more adaptive in plants that have faster developmental rates (and therefore flower earlier), and that chromosomal structure itself is an adaptive trait associated with plant life history strategies.

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

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2021.0271 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 288 (1951) ◽

pp. 20210271

Author(s):

L. J. Fitzpatrick ◽

M. Olsson ◽

A. Pauliny ◽

G. M. While ◽

E. Wapstra

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Telomere Length ◽

Life Histories ◽

Life History Traits ◽

Age And Growth ◽

Life History Strategies ◽

Telomere Attrition ◽

Specific Effects ◽

Telomere Lengthening ◽

Telomere Dynamics

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 the warm lowlands but not the cool highlands. Our results demonstrate that life-history traits can have pervasive and context-dependent effects on telomere dynamics in ectotherms both within and between populations. We argue that these telomere dynamics may 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.

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Functional variants of DOG1 control seed chilling responses and variation in seasonal life-history strategies in Arabidopsis thaliana

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1912451117 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 117 (5) ◽

pp. 2526-2534 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Alejandra Martínez-Berdeja ◽

Michelle C. Stitzer ◽

Mark A. Taylor ◽

Miki Okada ◽

Exequiel Ezcurra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Arabidopsis Thaliana ◽

Life History ◽

Seed Germination ◽

Flowering Time ◽

Life Histories ◽

Natural Variation ◽

Life History Strategies ◽

Candidate Snps ◽

Environmental Niche ◽

Functional Variants

The seasonal timing of seed germination determines a plant’s realized environmental niche, and is important for adaptation to climate. The timing of seasonal germination depends on patterns of seed dormancy release or induction by cold and interacts with flowering-time variation to construct different seasonal life histories. To characterize the genetic basis and climatic associations of natural variation in seed chilling responses and associated life-history syndromes, we selected 559 fully sequenced accessions of the model annual species Arabidopsis thaliana from across a wide climate range and scored each for seed germination across a range of 13 cold stratification treatments, as well as the timing of flowering and senescence. Germination strategies varied continuously along 2 major axes: 1) Overall germination fraction and 2) induction vs. release of dormancy by cold. Natural variation in seed responses to chilling was correlated with flowering time and senescence to create a range of seasonal life-history syndromes. Genome-wide association identified several loci associated with natural variation in seed chilling responses, including a known functional polymorphism in the self-binding domain of the candidate gene DOG1. A phylogeny of DOG1 haplotypes revealed ancient divergence of these functional variants associated with periods of Pleistocene climate change, and Gradient Forest analysis showed that allele turnover of candidate SNPs was significantly associated with climate gradients. These results provide evidence that A. thaliana’s germination niche and correlated life-history syndromes are shaped by past climate cycles, as well as local adaptation to contemporary climate.

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Early-life telomere length covaries with life-history traits and scales with chromosome length in birds

10.1101/2021.08.07.455497 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Michael Le Pepke ◽

Thor Harald Ringsby ◽

Dan T. A. Eisenberg

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Telomere Length ◽

Dna Sequences ◽

Early Life ◽

Life History Traits ◽

Bird Species ◽

Chromosome Length ◽

Life History Variation ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Phylogenetic Framework

Telomeres, the short DNA sequences that protect chromosome ends, are an ancient molecular structure, which is highly conserved across most eukaryotes. Species differ in their telomere lengths, but the causes of this variation are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that mean early-life telomere length is an evolutionary labile trait across 58 bird species (representing 35 families in 12 orders) with the greatest trait diversity found among passerines. Among these species, telomere length is significantly negatively associated with the fast-slow axis of life-history variation, suggesting that telomere length may have evolved to mediate trade-offs between physiological requirements underlying the diversity of pace-of-life strategies in birds. Curiously, within some species, larger individual chromosome size predicts longer telomere lengths on that chromosome, leading to the suggestion that telomere length also covaries with chromosome length across species. We show that longer mean chromosome length or genome size tends to be associated with longer mean early-life telomere length (measured across all chromosomes) within a phylogenetic framework constituting up to 32 bird species. Combined, our analyses generalize patterns previously found within a few species and provide potential adaptive explanations for the 10-fold variation in telomere lengths observed among birds.

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Systematic congruence in Polycladida (Platyhelminthes, Rhabditophora): are DNA and morphology telling the same story?

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society ◽

10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz007 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 186 (4) ◽

pp. 865-891 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Marian K Litvaitis ◽

D Marcela Bolaños ◽

Sigmer Y Quiroga

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Ribosomal Dna ◽

Dna Sequences ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Life History Strategies ◽

Reproductive Structures ◽

New Family ◽

The Family ◽

Internal Relationships ◽

28S Ribosomal Dna

Abstract Using 28S ribosomal DNA sequences, we inferred the internal relationships of the order Polycladida. We identified morphological characters for clade support when possible. Monophyletic Acotylea and Cotylea were consistently recovered. In Acotylea, the superfamilies Stylochoidea, Cryptoceloidea and Leptoplanoidea were supported, with Stylochoidea representing the most basal acotylean lineage. In Leptoplanoidea, we united genera lacking a penis armature into the new family Notocomplanidae. Gnesiocerotidae was recovered as the most basal leptoplanoid lineage, and Stylochoplanidae and Notoplanidae were paraphyletic. Among cotyleans, Cestoplanidae, Diposthus popeae + Pericelis spp., Boniniidae, Pseudocerotidae and Prosthiostomidae formed clades. Genera in Euryleptidae were monophyletic, but the family itself was recovered with low support only. The established superfamilies Pseudocerotoidea, Euryleptoidea, Periceloidea and Chromoplanoidea are not supported. Pericelis has been moved to Diposthidae and Pericelidae has been abolished. A clade of Boniniidae + Theama spp. + Chromyella sp. was supported. In Pseudocerotidae, the number of male reproductive structures unites Pseudobiceros and Thysanozoon. Tytthosoceros has been abolished, with all currently described species now placed in Phrikoceros. Our results support several additional synonymies and taxonomic corrections. This new phylogeny provides an increased understanding of relationships in the order and offers a framework for future testing of hypotheses of character evolution and life-history strategies.

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Stress-related changes in leukocyte profiles and telomere shortening in the shortest-lived tetrapod, Furcifer labordi

BMC Evolutionary Biology ◽

10.1186/s12862-020-01724-2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Falk Eckhardt ◽

Angela Pauliny ◽

Nicky Rollings ◽

Frank Mutschmann ◽

Mats Olsson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Telomere Length ◽

Life History Theory ◽

Life History Strategies ◽

Ambient Conditions ◽

Cellular Mechanisms ◽

Active Season ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Age Related ◽

Leukocyte Profiles

Abstract Background Life history theory predicts that during the lifespan of an organism, resources are allocated to either growth, somatic maintenance or reproduction. Resource allocation trade-offs determine the evolution and ecology of different life history strategies and define an organisms’ position along a fast–slow continuum in interspecific comparisons. Labord’s chameleon (Furcifer labordi) from the seasonal dry forests of Madagascar is the tetrapod species with the shortest reported lifespan (4–9 months). Previous investigations revealed that their lifespan is to some degree dependent on environmental factors, such as the amount of rainfall and the length of the vegetation period. However, the intrinsic mechanisms shaping such a fast life history remain unknown. Environmental stressors are known to increase the secretion of glucocorticoids in other vertebrates, which, in turn, can shorten telomeres via oxidative stress. To investigate to what extent age-related changes in these molecular and cellular mechanisms contribute to the relatively short lifetime of F. labordi, we assessed the effects of stressors indirectly via leukocyte profiles (H/L ratio) and quantified relative telomere length from blood samples in a wild population in Kirindy Forest. We compared our findings with the sympatric, but longer-lived sister species F. cf. nicosiai, which exhibit the same annual timing of reproductive events, and with wild-caught F. labordi that were singly housed under ambient conditions. Results We found that H/L ratios were consistently higher in wild F. labordi compared to F. cf. nicosiai. Moreover, F. labordi already exhibited relatively short telomeres during the mating season when they were 3–4 months old, and telomeres further shortened during their post-reproductive lives. At the beginning of their active season, telomere length was relatively longer in F. cf. nicosiai, but undergoing rapid shortening towards the southern winter, when both species gradually die off. Captive F. labordi showed comparatively longer lifespans and lower H/L ratios than their wild counterparts. Conclusion We suggest that environmental stress and the corresponding accelerated telomere attrition have profound effects on the lifespan of F. labordi in the wild, and identify physiological mechanisms potentially driving their relatively early senescence and mortality.

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TERRA: A Novel Biomarker of Embryo Quality and Art Outcome

Genes ◽

10.3390/genes12040475 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 475

Author(s):

Maria Santa Rocca ◽

Ludovica Dusi ◽

Andrea Di Nisio ◽

Erminia Alviggi ◽

Benedetta Iussig ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Telomere Length ◽

Dna Sequences ◽

Male Fertility ◽

Embryo Quality ◽

Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽

Biological Clock ◽

Reproductive Technologies ◽

Age Related ◽

Non Coding Rna ◽

First Time

Telomeres are considered to be an internal biological clock, and their progressive shortening has been associated with the risk of age-related diseases and reproductive alterations. Over recent years, an increasing number of studies have focused on the association between telomere length and fertility, identifying sperm telomere length (STL) as a novel biomarker of male fertility. Although typically considered to be repeated DNA sequences, telomeres have recently been shown to also include a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) known as TERRA (telomeric repeat-containing RNAs). Interestingly, males with idiopathic infertility show reduced testicular TERRA expression, suggesting a link between TERRA and male fertility. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of seminal TERRA expression in embryo quality. To this end, STL and TERRA expression were quantified by Real Time qPCR in the semen of 35 men who underwent assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and 30 fertile men. We found that TERRA expression in semen and STL was reduced in patients that underwent ART (both p < 0.001). Interestingly, TERRA and STL expressions were positively correlated (p = 0.010), and TERRA expression was positively associated with embryo quality (p < 0.001). These preliminary findings suggest a role for TERRA in the maintenance of sperm telomere integrity during gametogenesis, and for the first time, TERRA expression was found as a predictive factor for embryo quality in the setting of assisted reproduction.

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Exposure to glucocorticoids alters life history strategies in a facultatively paedomorphic salamander

Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A Ecological and Integrative Physiology ◽

10.1002/jez.2445 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jason R. Bohenek ◽

Christopher J. Leary ◽

William J. Resetarits

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Life History Strategies

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Characterization and Genome Analysis of Staphylococcus aureus Podovirus CSA13 and Its Anti-Biofilm Capacity

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v11010054 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 54 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Yoyeon Cha ◽

Jihwan Chun ◽

Bokyung Son ◽

Sangryeol Ryu

Keyword(s):

Staphylococcus Aureus ◽

Biocontrol Agent ◽

Genomic Analysis ◽

Open Reading Frames ◽

Experimental Setting ◽

Human Pathogens ◽

Bacteriophage Therapy ◽

Chromosomal Structure ◽

Inhibition Effect ◽

Reading Frames

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the notable human pathogens that can be easily encountered in both dietary and clinical surroundings. Among various countermeasures, bacteriophage therapy is recognized as an alternative method for resolving the issue of antibiotic resistance. In the current study, bacteriophage CSA13 was isolated from a chicken, and subsequently, its morphology, physiology, and genomics were characterized. This Podoviridae phage displayed an extended host inhibition effect of up to 23 hours of persistence. Its broad host spectrum included methicillin susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), local S. aureus isolates, as well as non-aureus staphylococci strains. Moreover, phage CSA13 could successfully remove over 78% and 93% of MSSA and MRSA biofilms in an experimental setting, respectively. Genomic analysis revealed a 17,034 bp chromosome containing 18 predicted open reading frames (ORFs) without tRNAs, representing a typical chromosomal structure of the staphylococcal Podoviridae family. The results presented here suggest that phage CSA13 can be applicable as an effective biocontrol agent against S. aureus.

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