Worker survival and egg production depending on the diet

Aging is associated with diverse molecular processes such as oxidative damage, a decrease in immunocompetence, or an increase in epigenetic abnormalities, mutations, and inflammations. Many of these processes are linked to nutrient-sensing signaling pathways, suggesting that diet plays a critical role in the aging process. In fact, the protein content in the diet can affect both longevity and fecundity, but often in opposite directions. In many solitary organisms, protein-rich diets dramatically shorten lifespan but increase egg production. We used the ant Temnothorax rugatulus to investigate the effect of the protein-to-carbohydrate ratio in the diet on the survival and fecundity of fertile workers. We fed colonies either a moderately high-carbohydrate or high-protein diet (1:2 and 2:1 respectively) and monitored worker survival and egg production over nine weeks. The protein-rich diet did not alter the ability of workers to lay eggs, but reduced worker survival, suggesting that consum..., ,