What evidence is there for the existence of individual genes with antagonistic pleiotropic effects?
Classical evolutionary theory predicts the existence of genes with antagonistic effects on longevity and various components of early-life fitness. Quantitative genetic studies have provided convincing evidence that such genes exist. However, antagonistic pleiotropic effects have rarely been attributed to individual loci. We examine several classes of longevity-assurance genes: those involved in regulation of the gonad; the insulin-like growth factor pathway; free-radical scavenging; heat shock proteins and apoptosis. We find initial evidence that antagonistic pleiotropic effects are pervasive in each of these classes of genes and in various model systems--although most studies lack explicit studies of fitness components. This is particularly true of human studies. Very little is known about the early-life fitness effects of longevity loci. Given the possible medical importance of such effects we urge their future study.
Leroi
Armand M
AM
Department of Biological Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Ascot, Berks., SL5-7PY, UK. a.leroi@imperial.ac.uk
Bartke
Andrzej
A
De Benedictis
Giovanna
G
Franceschi
Claudio
C
Gartner
Anton
A
Gonos
Efstathios S
ES
Gonos
Eleftherios
E
Fedei
Martin E
ME
Feder
Martin E
ME
Kivisild
Toomas
T
Lee
Sylvia
S
Kartaf-Ozer
Nesrin
N
Kartal-Ozer
Nesrin
N
Schumacher
Michael
M
Sikora
Ewa
E
Slagboom
Eline
E
Tatar
Mark
M
Yashin
Anatoli I
AI
Vijg
Jan
J
Zwaan
Bas
B
D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics*; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics*