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Collection and Long-Term Maintenance of Leaf-Cutting Ants Atta in Laboratory Conditions
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Ants as Object of Gerontological Research
G A Shilovsky1,2,3, T S Putyatina2, V V Ashapkin4
1Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia. gregory_sh@list.ru.
Biochemistry. Biokhimiia
|March 18, 2019
Summary
Social insects like ants, with identical genes, exhibit vastly different lifespans across castes. This makes them ideal models for studying longevity and aging mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Gerontology
- Insect behavior
Background:
- Social insects, particularly ants, possess genetically identical individuals within castes but exhibit significant lifespan variations.
- Colony size and social structure influence the evolution of lifespan and aging processes in ants.
- Ant colonies are considered 'superorganisms' due to their ability to modify individual ontogenetic trajectories based on colony needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the mechanisms of longevity and aging using ants as a model system.
- To investigate how genetic identity contrasts with divergent lifespans in different ant castes.
- To understand the evolutionary advantages of varying lifespans and aging rates within ant colonies.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of lifespan and aging rates across different ant castes (queens, workers, males).
- Examination of ontogenetic plasticity and its influence on social roles and cognitive abilities (e.g., brain plasticity).
- Study of behavioral differences, including task performance and experience transfer, between young and old ants.
Main Results:
- Older ants demonstrate superior performance and experience transfer in food-related behaviors.
- A balance exists between the 'cost' of short-lived workers and the benefit of experienced, long-lived workers.
- Significant differences in lifespan and aging rates are observed among workers of different ant species.
Conclusions:
- Ants provide a unique model for studying aging due to their genetically determined, yet diverse, lifespan trajectories.
- The evolution of sociality and colony size is linked to the development of specialized castes with distinct aging patterns.
- Ants are valuable subjects for research into normal aging and the effects of anti-aging interventions.
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