Telomere length mirrors age structure along a 2200-m altitudinal gradient in a Mediterranean lizard.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Pablo BurracoGregorio Moreno-Rueda

Abstract

The timing of organisms' senescence is developmentally programmed but also shaped by the interaction between environmental inputs and life-history traits. In ectotherms, ageing dynamics are still poorly understood even though their body temperature, metabolism, or growth trajectory are very sensitive to environmental changes. Here, we investigated the role of life-history traits such as age, sex, body size, body condition, and tail autotomy (i.e self-amputation) in shaping telomere length in six populations of the Algerian sand lizard (Psammodromus algirus) distributed along an elevational gradient from 300 to 2500 m above the sea level. Additionally, we compiled the available information on reptiles' telomere length in a review table. Our cross-sectional study shows that older lizards have longer telomeres, which might be mostly linked to the selective disappearance of individuals with shorter telomeres or, alternatively, mediated by a higher expression of telomerase across their life. In fact, variation in telomere length across elevation was explained by age structure of lizards; thus, in contrast to our predictions, altitude had no effect on telomere length in this study system. Telomere length was unaffected by tail regene...Continue Reading

Citations

May 3, 2021·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology·David C EnsmingerTracy Langkilde
Aug 28, 2021·Molecular Ecology·Christopher R FriesenMats Olsson
Nov 27, 2021·Molecular Ecology·Martin ReichardMiguel Godinho Ferreira

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