Meeting Abstract

P1-38    Telomere length increases in later developmental stages in two solitary bee species Grula, CC*; Heidinger, BJ; Greenlee, KJ; Rinehart, JP; Bowsher, JH; USDA-ARS, Fargo ND; North Dakota State University, Fargo ND; North Dakota State University, Fargo ND; USDA-ARS, Fargo ND; North Dakota State University, Fargo ND courtneygrula@gmail.com

Insects experience age-associated declines in performance, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. One mechanism that may be important are telomeres, repetitive sequences of non-coding DNA at chromosome ends that protect coding sequences from loss, but shorten during normal cellular replication and limit cellular lifespan. In many vertebrates, telomeres decline with age, but this is not a universal pattern and whether this is also generally true in insects is not well known. This study examined the relationship between relative telomere length and age across the lifespan including development, overwintering, and post-emergence, in two solitary bee species, Osmia lignaria and Megachile rotundata. Interestingly, telomere length increased in later developmental stages, corresponding with emergence from diapause in both species. This is pattern contrasts with what is typically reported in vertebrates and highlights the importance of studying aging mechanisms in diverse organisms.