Long live the queen, the king and the commoner? Transcript expression differences between old and young in the termite Cryptotermes secundus.

ABSTRACT: Social insects provide promising new avenues for aging research. Within a colony, individuals that share the same genetic background can differ in lifespan by up to two orders of magnitude. Reproducing queens (and in termites also kings) can live for more than 20 years, extraordinary lifespans for insects. We studied aging in a termite species, Cryptotermes secundus, which lives in less socially complex societies with a few hundred colony members. Reproductives develop from workers which are totipotent immatures. Comparing transcriptomes of young and old individuals, we found evidence for aging in reproductives that was especially associated with DNA and protein damage and the activity of transposable elements. By contrast, workers seemed to be better protected against aging. Thus our resu

SUBMITTER: Monroy Kuhn JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6373952 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature