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Maternal and genetic factors determine early life telomere length

Muhammad, Asghar LU ; Bensch, Staffan LU ; Tarka, Maja LU ; Hansson, Bengt LU orcid and Hasselquist, Dennis LU (2015) In Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences 282(1799).
Abstract
In a broad range of species-including humans-it has been demonstrated that telomere length declines throughout life and that it may be involved in cell and organismal senescence. This potential link to ageing and thus to fitness has triggered recent interest in understanding how variation in telomere length is inherited and maintained. However, previous studies suffer from two main drawbacks that limit the possibility of understanding the relative importance of genetic, parental and environmental influences on telomere length variation. These studies have been based on (i) telomere lengths measured at different time points in different individuals, despite the fact that telomere length changes over life, and (ii) parent-offspring... (More)
In a broad range of species-including humans-it has been demonstrated that telomere length declines throughout life and that it may be involved in cell and organismal senescence. This potential link to ageing and thus to fitness has triggered recent interest in understanding how variation in telomere length is inherited and maintained. However, previous studies suffer from two main drawbacks that limit the possibility of understanding the relative importance of genetic, parental and environmental influences on telomere length variation. These studies have been based on (i) telomere lengths measured at different time points in different individuals, despite the fact that telomere length changes over life, and (ii) parent-offspring regression techniques, which do not enable differentiation between genetic and parental components of inheritance. To overcome these drawbacks, in our study of a songbird, the great reed warbler, we have analysed telomere length measured early in life in both parents and offspring and applied statistical models (so-called 'animal models') that are based on long-term pedigree data. Our results showed a significant heritability of telomere length on the maternal but not on the paternal side, and that the mother's age was positively correlated with their offspring's telomere length. Furthermore, the pedigree-based analyses revealed a significant heritability and an equally large maternal effect. Our study demonstrates strong maternal influence on telomere length and future studies now need to elucidate possible underlying factors, including which types of maternal effects are involved. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Acrocephalus arundinaceus, great reed warbler, telomere inheritance, ageing, maternal effects, animal model
in
Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences
volume
282
issue
1799
publisher
Royal Society Publishing
external identifiers
  • wos:000354866500012
  • scopus:84920973730
ISSN
1471-2954
DOI
10.1098/rspb.2014.2263
project
Long-term study of great reed warblers
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
56e93e92-98c8-4ae3-be83-7bc0598ab1d0 (old id 7422471)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 14:32:37
date last changed
2024-02-25 15:51:40
@article{56e93e92-98c8-4ae3-be83-7bc0598ab1d0,
  abstract     = {{In a broad range of species-including humans-it has been demonstrated that telomere length declines throughout life and that it may be involved in cell and organismal senescence. This potential link to ageing and thus to fitness has triggered recent interest in understanding how variation in telomere length is inherited and maintained. However, previous studies suffer from two main drawbacks that limit the possibility of understanding the relative importance of genetic, parental and environmental influences on telomere length variation. These studies have been based on (i) telomere lengths measured at different time points in different individuals, despite the fact that telomere length changes over life, and (ii) parent-offspring regression techniques, which do not enable differentiation between genetic and parental components of inheritance. To overcome these drawbacks, in our study of a songbird, the great reed warbler, we have analysed telomere length measured early in life in both parents and offspring and applied statistical models (so-called 'animal models') that are based on long-term pedigree data. Our results showed a significant heritability of telomere length on the maternal but not on the paternal side, and that the mother's age was positively correlated with their offspring's telomere length. Furthermore, the pedigree-based analyses revealed a significant heritability and an equally large maternal effect. Our study demonstrates strong maternal influence on telomere length and future studies now need to elucidate possible underlying factors, including which types of maternal effects are involved.}},
  author       = {{Muhammad, Asghar and Bensch, Staffan and Tarka, Maja and Hansson, Bengt and Hasselquist, Dennis}},
  issn         = {{1471-2954}},
  keywords     = {{Acrocephalus arundinaceus; great reed warbler; telomere inheritance; ageing; maternal effects; animal model}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1799}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society Publishing}},
  series       = {{Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences}},
  title        = {{Maternal and genetic factors determine early life telomere length}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2014.2263}},
  doi          = {{10.1098/rspb.2014.2263}},
  volume       = {{282}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}