10.5061/DRYAD.3N5TB2RG3
Sekajova, Zuzana
0000-0001-6526-8700
Uppsala University
Rosa, Elena
Uppsala University
Spagopoulou, Foteini
Uppsala University
Zervakis, PanagiotisIoannis
Uppsala University
Lind, Martin
Uppsala University
Data from: Compensatory growth in C. elegans is regulated by a
thermosensitive TRP channel and increases reproductive fitness
Dryad
dataset
2021
FOS: Biological sciences
compensatory growth
Growth restriction
TRPA1
temperature manipulation
2021-01-09T00:00:00Z
2021-01-09T00:00:00Z
en
102380 bytes
2
CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) Public Domain Dedication
Animals are often not growing at the maximum rate, but can compensate for
a bad start of life by further increasing growth rate. While this
compensatory growth is widespread, its direct fitness consequences are
seldom investigated and its genetic basis is unknown. We investigated the
genetic regulation, as well as fitness and lifespan consequences of
compensatory growth in response to temperature, using C. elegans knockout
of the thermo-sensitive TRP ion channel TRPA-1, involved in temperature
recognition. We exposed juvenile worms to cold, normal or warm
temperatures in order to delay or speed up development. After returning to
normal temperature, we found that wild-type worms where early development
was delayed, expressed compensatory growth and catched up in size, while
juvenile exposure to warm temperatures expressed slowed-down growth and
small size. Compensatory growth also altered the reproductive schedule
towards early reproduction, so that rate-sensitive individual fitness
increased even though total reproduction was unaffected. Surprisingly, no
lifespan cost of compensatory growth was found. In contrast, juvenile
temperature did not induce compensatory or slowed-down growth in the
trpa-1 knockout mutants, and consequently did not affect fitness. We show
that temperature-induced compensatory growth in C. elegans is regulated by
the trpa-1 and can increase fitness.