Data from: Reproductive activity triggers accelerated male mortality and decreases lifespan: genetic and gene expression determinants in Drosophila

Reproduction and aging evolved to be intimately associated. Experimental selection for early-life reproduction drives the evolution of decreased longevity in Drosophila whereas experimental selection for increased longevity leads to changes in reproduction. Although life history theory offers hypotheses to explain these relationships, the genetic architecture and molecular mechanisms underlying reproduction–longevity associations remain a matter of debate. Here we show that mating triggers accelerated mortality in males and identify hundreds of genes that are modulated upon mating in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Interrogation of genome-wide gene expression in virgin and recently mated males revealed coherent responses, with biological processes that are upregulated (testis-specific gene expression) or downregulated (metabolism and mitochondria-related functions) upon mating. Furthermore, using a panel of genotypes from the Drosophila Synthetic Population Resource (DSPR) as a source of naturally occurring genetic perturbation, we uncover abundant variation in longevity and reproduction-induced mortality among genotypes. Genotypes displayed more than fourfold variation in longevity and reproduction-induced mortality that can be traced to variation in specific segments of the genome. The data reveal individual variation in sensitivity to reproduction and physiological processes that are enhanced and suppressed upon mating. These results raise the prospect that variation in longevity and age-related traits could be traced to processes that coordinate germline and somatic function.

生殖与衰老在进化过程中已形成紧密关联。对早期生殖的实验选择会推动果蝇（Drosophila）长寿性降低的演化，而对长寿性提升的实验选择则会引发生殖相关的改变。尽管生命史理论（life history theory）已提出相关假说以解释这类关联，但生殖-长寿关联背后的遗传架构与分子机制仍存在争议。本研究发现，交配会引发雄性果蝇的死亡率加速上升，并在黑腹果蝇（Drosophila melanogaster）中鉴定出数百个受交配调控的基因。对未交配与近期交配雄性果蝇的全基因组基因表达分析揭示了协同一致的响应模式：交配后，部分生物过程被上调（如睾丸特异性基因表达），而另一部分则被下调（如代谢与线粒体相关功能）。此外，本研究以果蝇合成种群资源（Drosophila Synthetic Population Resource, DSPR）的一系列基因型作为自然遗传扰动的来源，发现不同基因型间的长寿性与交配诱导死亡率存在广泛差异。不同基因型的长寿性与交配诱导死亡率差异可达四倍以上，这类差异可追溯至基因组特定区段的变异。本研究数据揭示了个体对生殖的敏感性差异，以及交配后被增强与抑制的生理过程。这些研究结果提示，长寿性与年龄相关性状的变异或许可追溯至协调生殖系与体细胞功能的生理过程。