Abstract
THEORIES of life-history evolution propose that trade-offs occur between fitness components, including longevity and maximal reproduction1–3. In Drosophila, female lifespan is shortened by increased egg production4, receipt of male accessory fluid5 and courting6. Male lifespan is also reduced by courting and/or mating7. Here we show that in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, mating with males reduces the lifespan of hermaphrodites by a mechanism independent of egg production or receipt of sperm. Conversely, males appear unaffected by mating. Thus, in C. elegans there is no apparent trade-off between longevity and increased egg or sperm production, but there is a substantial cost to hermaphrodites associated with copulation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Williams, G. C. Evolution 11, 398–411 (1957).
Kirkwood, T. B. L. Nature 270, 301–304 (1977).
Partridge, L. & Harvey, P. H. Science 241, 1449–1455 (1988).
Partridge, L., Green. A. & Fowler, K. J. Insect Physiol. 33, 745–749 (1987).
Chapman, T., Liddle, L. F., Kalb, J. M., Wolfner, M. F. & Partridge, L. Nature 373, 241–244 (1995).
Chapman, T. J. Insect Physiol. 38, 223–227 (1992).
Partridge, L. & Farquhar, M. Nature 294, 580–582 (1981).
Kimble, J. & Ward, S. in The Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (ed. Wood, W. B.) 191–213 (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York, 1988).
Klass, M. R. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 6, 413–429 (1977).
Friedman, D. B. & Johnson, T. E. Genetics 118, 75–86 (1988).
Kenyon, C., Chang, J., Gensch, E., Rudner, A. & Tabtiang, R. Nature 366, 461–464 (1993).
Van Voorhies, W. A. Nature 360, 456–458 (1992).
Argon, Y. & Ward, S. Genetics 96, 413–432 (1980).
Ward, S. & Miwa, J. Genetics 88, 285–303 (1978).
Ward, S., Argon, Y. & Nelson, G. A. J. Cell Biol. 91, 26–44 (1981).
Kalb, J. M., DiBenedetto, A. J. & Wolfner, M. F. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 90, 8093–8097 (1993).
Chen, P. S. et al. Cell 54, 291–298 (1988).
Scott, D. Anim. Behav. 35, 142–149 (1987).
Harshman, L. G. & Prout, T. Evolution 48, 758–766 (1994).
Schedl, T. & Kimble, J. Genetics 119, 43–61 (1988).
Hodgkin, J. Genetics 103, 43–64 (1983).
Wilkinson, L. SYSTAT: The System for Statistics (Systat Inc., Evanston, Illinois, 1989).
Brenner, S. Genetics 77, 71–94 (1974).
L'Hernault, S. W., Shakes, D. C. & Ward, S. Genetics 120, 435–452 (1988).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gems, D., Riddle, D. Longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans reduced by mating but not gamete production. Nature 379, 723–725 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/379723a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/379723a0
- Springer Nature Limited