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Tissue Collection of Bats for -Omics Analyses and Primary Cell Culture
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Sex Differences in Telomere Length in a Bat With Female-Biased Longevity.

Jack G Rayner1, Abigail Marshall1, Danielle M Adams1

  • 1Department of Biology University of Maryland College Park Maryland USA.

Ecology and Evolution
|May 15, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Telomere length shortens with age in bats, but males do not show shorter telomeres despite shorter lifespans. This challenges assumptions about telomere attrition and sex differences in ageing.

Keywords:
Phyllostomidaeageinggreater spear‐nosed batssenescencesexual dimorphism

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Area of Science:

  • Gerontology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Zoology

Background:

  • Telomeres, the protective caps of linear chromosomes, shorten with age, serving as a hallmark of ageing.
  • Sex differences in telomere length and attrition rates across species are not well understood.
  • Bats are valuable models for ageing research due to their longevity and varied telomere attrition patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate sex differences in telomere length and age-related attrition in the greater spear-nosed bat (Phyllostomus hastatus).
  • To explore the relationship between longevity, sex, and telomere dynamics in a wild bat population.

Main Methods:

  • Collected DNA from wild-caught male and female greater spear-nosed bats.
  • Measured relative telomere lengths using DNA analysis.
  • Analyzed telomere length in relation to age and sex.

Main Results:

  • Telomere length was found to decrease with increasing age in the studied bat population.
  • No evidence indicated shorter telomeres in males compared to females.
  • Males exhibited a tendency towards longer telomeres, contrary to predictions based on sex-specific lifespan.

Conclusions:

  • Age-related telomere shortening occurs in greater spear-nosed bats.
  • Contrary to predictions, males in this species do not have shorter telomeres despite a male-biased mortality rate.
  • The findings suggest complex interactions between sex, lifespan, and telomere dynamics in bats.