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A Suppressor Screen for the Characterization of Genetic Links Regulating Chronological Lifespan in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
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Living fast, dying when? The link between aging and energetics.

John R Speakman1, Colin Selman, Jane S McLaren

  • 1Aberdeen Centre for Energy Regulation and Obesity, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK. J.Speakman@abdn.ac.uk

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The rate-of-living theory suggests faster living leads to earlier death. New research shows that for small mammals, higher daily energy expenditure (DEE) is linked to shorter lifespans, even after accounting for body mass.

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Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Comparative Physiology
  • Metabolic Research

Background:

  • The "rate-of-living" theory posits a direct relationship between metabolic rate and lifespan, originating from observations in the late 1800s.
  • Initial evidence relied on resting metabolic rate (RMR) and lifespan scaling with body mass, but faced methodological critiques.
  • Critiques included lifespan as a poor aging measure, RMR as an inadequate proxy for energy expenditure, and confounding effects of body mass and phylogenetic non-independence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To re-evaluate the "rate-of-living" theory by examining the relationship between energy expenditure and aging.
  • To differentiate between resting metabolic rate (RMR) and daily energy expenditure (DEE) in relation to lifespan.
  • To investigate the influence of body mass and phylogenetic history on the energetics-aging link.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from 13 small mammal species with reliable doubly labeled water (DLW) measurements for daily energy expenditure (DEE) and known longevity.
  • Employed statistical analyses to assess the relationship between residual DEE and residual longevity, controlling for body mass effects.
  • Applied phylogenetically independent contrast analysis to account for evolutionary relationships.

Main Results:

  • A poor association was found between RMR and DEE across species.
  • Despite RMR's limitations, DEE showed a significant negative correlation with lifespan in small mammals, even after removing the effects of body mass (r² = 0.763).
  • Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the significant negative relationship between DEE and lifespan (r² = 0.815), supporting the "live fast, die young" concept within species.

Conclusions:

  • While the "rate-of-living" theory holds for within-species comparisons (higher DEE correlates with shorter lifespan), inter-species variations challenge its universal applicability.
  • The link between energetics and aging is better explained by hypotheses like the "free-radical damage hypothesis" and the "disposable soma hypothesis" at the inter-species level.
  • Experimental data suggest contrasting effects: increased RMR may be protective, while increased non-resting energy expenditure can be detrimental to aging.