Long ant life span is maintained by a unique heat shock factor

Karl M. Glastad, Julian Roessler, Janko Gospocic, Roberto Bonasio, Shelley L. Berger

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Eusocial insect reproductive females show strikingly longer life spans than nonreproductive female workers despite high genetic similarity. In the ant Harpegnathos saltator (Hsal), workers can transition to reproductive “gamergates,” acquiring a fivefold prolonged life span by mechanisms that are poorly understood. We found that gamergates have elevated expression of heat shock response (HSR) genes in the absence of heat stress and enhanced survival with heat stress. This HSR gene elevation is driven in part by gamergate-specific up-regulation of the gene encoding a truncated form of a heat shock factor most similar to mammalian HSF2 (hsalHSF2). In workers, hsalHSF2 was bound to DNA only upon heat stress. In gamergates, hsalHSF2 bound to DNA even in the absence of heat stress and was localized to gamergate-biased HSR genes. Expression of hsalHSF2 in Drosophila melanogaster led to enhanced heat shock survival and extended life span in the absence of heat stress. Molecular characterization illuminated multiple parallels between long-lived flies and gamergates, underscoring the centrality of hsalHSF2 to extended ant life span. Hence, ant caste-specific heat stress resilience and extended longevity can be transferred to flies via hsalHSF2. These findings reinforce the critical role of proteostasis in health and aging and reveal novel mechanisms underlying facultative life span extension in ants.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)398-417
Number of pages20
JournalGenes and Development
Volume37
Issue number9-10
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Drosophila melanogaster
  • HSF
  • Harpegnathos saltator
  • aging
  • heat shock
  • longevity
  • proteostasis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Medicine

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