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Transgenerational Effects of Early Life Starvation on Growth, Reproduction, and Stress Resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans.

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4.6 Mb
Date
2015-09
Authors
Jobson, Meghan A
Jordan, James M
Sandrof, Moses A
Hibshman, Jonathan D
Lennox, Ashley L
Baugh, L Ryan
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301
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Abstract
Starvation during early development can have lasting effects that influence organismal fitness and disease risk. We characterized the long-term phenotypic consequences of starvation during early larval development in Caenorhabditis elegans to determine potential fitness effects and develop it as a model for mechanistic studies. We varied the amount of time that larvae were developmentally arrested by starvation after hatching ("L1 arrest"). Worms recovering from extended starvation grew slowly, taking longer to become reproductive, and were smaller as adults. Fecundity was also reduced, with the smallest individuals most severely affected. Feeding behavior was impaired, possibly contributing to deficits in growth and reproduction. Previously starved larvae were more sensitive to subsequent starvation, suggesting decreased fitness even in poor conditions. We discovered that smaller larvae are more resistant to heat, but this correlation does not require passage through L1 arrest. The progeny of starved animals were also adversely affected: Embryo quality was diminished, incidence of males was increased, progeny were smaller, and their brood size was reduced. However, the progeny and grandprogeny of starved larvae were more resistant to starvation. In addition, the progeny, grandprogeny, and great-grandprogeny were more resistant to heat, suggesting epigenetic inheritance of acquired resistance to starvation and heat. Notably, such resistance was inherited exclusively from individuals most severely affected by starvation in the first generation, suggesting an evolutionary bet-hedging strategy. In summary, our results demonstrate that starvation affects a variety of life-history traits in the exposed animals and their descendants, some presumably reflecting fitness costs but others potentially adaptive.
Type
Journal article
Subject
L1 arrest
L1 diapause
bet hedging
fitness trade-off
starvation
transgenerational
Animals
Caenorhabditis elegans
Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
Disease Resistance
Epigenesis, Genetic
Feeding Behavior
Female
Gene Expression Regulation
Genetic Fitness
Humans
Larva
Longevity
Male
Quantitative Trait, Heritable
Stress, Physiological
Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/10395
Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1534/genetics.115.178699
Publication Info
Jobson, Meghan A; Jordan, James M; Sandrof, Moses A; Hibshman, Jonathan D; Lennox, Ashley L; & Baugh, L Ryan (2015). Transgenerational Effects of Early Life Starvation on Growth, Reproduction, and Stress Resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics, 201(1). pp. 201-212. 10.1534/genetics.115.178699. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/10395.
This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Scholars@Duke

Baugh

L. Ryan Baugh

Associate Professor of Biology
The Baugh Lab is interested in phenotypic plasticity and physiological adaptation to variable environmental conditions. We are using the roundworm C. elegans to understand how animals adapt to starvation using primarily genetic and genomic approaches. We are studying how development is governed by nutrient availability, how animals survive starvation, and the long-term consequences of starvation including adult disease and transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.
Lennox

Ashley Lennox

Program Coord, Senior
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