Social Control of Aging and Frailty in Bees

摘要: Fertility is not inversely correlated with longevity in social insects. This fact seems contrary to the norm solitary model organisms, where experimental manipulations that result longer life spans often act on reproductive pathways and reduce fertility. In insects, however, reproduction divided between two female phenotypes: queens are locked into a continuous oviposition mode, workers express remaining range of maternal functions, such as preparation sites, nest defense, brood care, hygienic behaviors, foraging. honey bee, show flexible aging pattern they shift behaviors associated different rates. The behavioral repertoire bee worker usually expressed sequence, so tasks rapid senescence follow slow or negligible senescence. However, when prompted by changes colony demography, bees can respond reversions acquire physiological states slower aging. plasticity emerges part through an interplay systemic hormone gene normally exclusively females. genetic networks control sterile may have evolved decoupling subsequent remodeling regulatory architectures linked fertility their predecessor. machinery may, therefore, provide new knowledge about structure, evolvability shape course frailty.