Growth and immune, reproductive and actuarial senescence in an insect

Started in October 2020

Funding: doctoral grant

Supervisor: Yannick Moret ; cosupervisor : Thierry Rigaud

Abstract

Despite tremendous progress in recent years, our understanding of the evolution of senescence is still incomplete. A dominant paradigm maintains that senescence evolves due to the competing energy demands between growth, reproduction and the maintenance of somatic functions (such as antioxidant defences, DNA repair and immunity), leading to the slow accumulation of damages with age.

While there is evidence that current reproduction is costly for future reproduction, some somatic functions and longevity in many organisms, interactions between growth and senescence are still poorly documented. In particular, growth and immunity, which are crucial for individual fitness early in life, are also costly functions. However, the consequences of the trade-off between these functions early in life on adult performances such as reproduction and survival are still poorly understood.

This project aims to study the relationships between growth, immunity, reproduction and longevity in the insect Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae), for which it is easy to manipulate and quantify growth and immunity.

In particular, we shall test the effects of a rapid and/or a slow growth rate and that of the allocation to immunity before maturity on patterns of immune, reproductive and actuarial senescence. For this purpose, we will combine two approaches consisting of monitoring life history traits of individuals after having artificially manipulated their growth and immunity and by comparing laboratory insect lines exhibiting variation in larval growth rate.

Keywords

senescence, lifespan, immunity, growth speed, trade off, Tenebrio molitor

Thesis advisory panel

Jean-François Lemaître, UMR CNRS 5558 LBBE, UCB Lyon 1
Gabriele Sorci, UMR CNRS/uB/EPHE 6282 Biogéosciences, université de Bourgogne

extrait:

lien_externe:

titre:

Croissance et senescence immunitaire, reproductive et actuarielle chez un insecte

date_de_debut_these:

octobre 2020

nom:

Crosland Agathe

date_de_debut_these_numerique:

202010

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kc_raw_content:

Growth and immune, reproductive and actuarial senescence in an insect

Started in October 2020

Funding: doctoral grant

Supervisor: Yannick Moret ; cosupervisor : Thierry Rigaud

 

Abstract

Despite tremendous progress in recent years, our understanding of the evolution of senescence is still incomplete. A dominant paradigm maintains that senescence evolves due to the competing energy demands between growth, reproduction and the maintenance of somatic functions (such as antioxidant defences, DNA repair and immunity), leading to the slow accumulation of damages with age.

While there is evidence that current reproduction is costly for future reproduction, some somatic functions and longevity in many organisms, interactions between growth and senescence are still poorly documented. In particular, growth and immunity, which are crucial for individual fitness early in life, are also costly functions. However, the consequences of the trade-off between these functions early in life on adult performances such as reproduction and survival are still poorly understood.

This project aims to study the relationships between growth, immunity, reproduction and longevity in the insect Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae), for which it is easy to manipulate and quantify growth and immunity.

In particular, we shall test the effects of a rapid and/or a slow growth rate and that of the allocation to immunity before maturity on patterns of immune, reproductive and actuarial senescence. For this purpose, we will combine two approaches consisting of monitoring life history traits of individuals after having artificially manipulated their growth and immunity and by comparing laboratory insect lines exhibiting variation in larval growth rate.

 

Keywords

senescence, lifespan, immunity, growth speed, trade off, Tenebrio molitor

 

Thesis advisory panel

Jean-François Lemaître, UMR CNRS 5558 LBBE, UCB Lyon 1
Gabriele Sorci, UMR CNRS/uB/EPHE 6282 Biogéosciences, université de Bourgogne