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Measurement of Lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster
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Epidemics as an adaptive driving force determining lifespan setpoints.

Peter V Lidsky1, Raul Andino1

  • 1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-2280 peter.lidsky@ucsf.edu raul.andino@ucsf.edu.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|July 12, 2020
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Epidemics may drive the evolution of species-specific lifespan limits. Shorter lifespans help control pathogen spread and benefit populations exposed to infectious diseases, influencing evolutionary trajectories.

Keywords:
agingepidemicsevolutionlifespan

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Epidemiology
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Lifespan setpoints are species-specific, but evolutionary drivers remain debated.
  • Aging is genetically influenced, yet the selective pressures limiting lifespan are unclear.
  • The role of lifespan in disease dynamics and host-pathogen interactions is under-explored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolutionary impact of lifespan on pathogen transmission dynamics.
  • To propose a novel hypothesis linking epidemics to the evolution of lifespan setpoints.
  • To determine if shorter lifespans offer a selective advantage in pathogen-exposed populations.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical modeling of lifespan and pathogen spread.
  • Comparative analysis of populations with varying lifespans and pathogen exposure.
  • Examination of evolutionary dynamics under epidemic conditions.

Main Results:

  • Shorter lifespans were found to limit pathogen spread and accelerate clearance.
  • Longevity limitation is particularly advantageous in zoonotic transmission scenarios.
  • Shorter-living variants demonstrated competitive advantages in pathogen-exposed populations.

Conclusions:

  • Epidemic outbreaks are proposed as a significant evolutionary force shaping lifespan setpoints.
  • Infection dynamics can exert selective pressure favoring shorter lifespans.
  • This provides a new perspective on the evolutionary control of aging and longevity.