Lifespan extension by caloric restriction is determined by type and level of food reduction and by reproductive mode in Brachionus manjavacas (Rotifera)

Abstract

We measured lifespan and fecundity of three reproductive modes in a clone of the monogonont rotifer Brachionus manjavacas subjected to chronic caloric restriction (CCR) over a range of food concentrations or to intermittent fasting (IF). IF increased lifespan 50 – 70% for all three modes, while CCR increased lifespan of asexual females derived from sexually- or asexually-produced eggs, but not that of sexual females. The main effect of CR on both asexual modes was to delay death at young ages, rather than to prevent death at middle ages or to greatly extend maximum lifespan; in contrast CR in sexual females greatly increased the lifespan of a few long-lived individuals. Lifetime fecundity did not decrease with CCR, suggesting a lack of resource allocation trade-off between somatic maintenance and reproduction. Multiple outcomes for a clonal lineage indicate that different responses are established through epigenetic programming, while differences in lifespan allocations suggest that multiple genetic mechanisms mediate lifespan extension.