6533b826fe1ef96bd1284886
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Aging parasites produce offspring with poor fitness prospects.
Cédric LippensClothilde LechenaultGabriele SorciBruno Faivresubject
0106 biological sciences0301 basic medicineSenescence[ SDV.MP.PAR ] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology/ParasitologyTime FactorssenescenceOffspringLongevityIntestinal parasiteZoologyHeligmosomoides polygyrusBiologymedicine.disease_cause010603 evolutionary biology01 natural sciences03 medical and health sciencesMicemedicine[ SDV.EE.IEO ] Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology environment/SymbiosisAnimals[SDV.MP.PAR]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Microbiology and Parasitology/ParasitologyStrongylida InfectionsEvolutionary BiologyNematospiroides dubius[ SDE.BE ] Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and Ecologyoffspring fitnessReproductive successReproductionYoung parentsFecunditybiology.organism_classificationAgricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)infection030104 developmental biologyNematodeFertilityImmunologyFemaleHeligmosomoides polygyrus[SDE.BE]Environmental Sciences/Biodiversity and EcologyGeneral Agricultural and Biological Sciencesparental age[SDV.EE.IEO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology environment/Symbiosisdescription
Senescing individuals have poor survival prospects and low fecundity. They can also produce offspring with reduced survival and reproductive success. We tested the effect of parental age on the performance of descendants in the nematode Heligmosomoides polygyrus , an intestinal parasite of rodents. We found that offspring of senescing worms had reduced within-host survival and reduced egg shedding over the first month post-infection compared with offspring produced by young parents. These results suggest that declining offspring quality is a component of senescence in parasitic nematodes and might have evolutionary consequences for the optimal schedule of age-dependent investment into reproductive effort.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-02-15 |