Genome-wide analysis in Drosophila reveals age-specific effects of SNPs on fitness traits

Mary F. Durham, Michael M. Magwire, Eric A. Stone and Jeff Leips ()
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Mary F. Durham: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Michael M. Magwire: North Carolina State University
Eric A. Stone: North Carolina State University
Jeff Leips: University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Nature Communications, 2014, vol. 5, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Abstract Most organisms exhibit senescence; a decline in physiological function with age. In nature, rates of senescence vary extensively among individuals and this variation has a significant genetic component; however, we know little about the genes underlying senescence. Here we show the first evidence that individual alleles influence fecundity in an age-specific manner and so the genetic basis of natural variation in fecundity changes dramatically with age. We complete a genome-wide association to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) affecting lifespan and age-specific fecundity using the Drosophila melanogaster Genetic Reference Panel. We identify 1,031 SNPs affecting fecundity and 52 influencing lifespan. Only one SNP is associated with both early- and late-age fecundity. The age-specific effect of candidate genes on fecundity is validated using RNA interference. In addition, there is a dramatic increase in the number of SNPs influencing fecundity with age. This result provides support for the mutation accumulation theory of aging.

Date: 2014
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms5338

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