title: Antioxidants safeguard telomeres in bold chicks.
abstract: Telomeres are sensitive to damage induced by oxidative stress, and thus it is expected that dietary antioxidants may support the maintenance of telomere length in animals, particularly those with a fast rate of life (e.g. fast metabolism, activity and growth). We tested experimentally the effect of antioxidant supplements on telomere length during early development in wild gull chicks with natural individual variations in behaviour pattern and growth rate. Proactive chicks had shorter telomeres than reactive chicks, but the penalty for the bold behaviour pattern was reduced by antioxidant supplementation. Chicks growing faster had longer telomeres during early growth, suggesting that inherited quality supports a fast life history.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain yeonkim@uvigo.es.
authors.forename: Sin-Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo 36310, Spain.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Velando
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D046091:Charadriiformes / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D046353:Immobility Response, Tonic / Q000187:drug effects*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D013030:Spain; D059506:Telomere Shortening / Q000187:drug effects*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014810:Vitamin E; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: antioxidants; growth; oxidative stress; telomere; tonic immobility