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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Weed and Insect Biology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #420413
Research Project: Enhancing Pollinator Health and Availability Through Conservation of Genetic Diversity and Development of Novel Management Tools and Strategies

Location: Weed and Insect Biology Research

Title: Hypoxia extends lifespan but does not alter telomere length or oxidative stress in a solitary bee (Megachile rotundata)

Author
item SZEJNER-SIGAL, ANDRE - North Dakota State University
item HEIDINGER, BRITT - North Dakota State University
item KITTILSON, JEFF - North Dakota State University
item Torson, Alex
item Rinehart, Joseph
item YOCUM, GEORGE - Retired ARS Employee
item BOWSHER, JULIA - North Dakota State University
item GREENLEE, KENDRA - North Dakota State University

Submitted to: Journal of Experimental Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/28/2025
Publication Date: 6/18/2025
Citation: Szejner-Sigal, A., Heidinger, B.J., Kittilson, J.D., Torson, A.S., Rinehart, J.P., Yocum, G.D., Bowsher, J.H., Greenlee, K.J. 2025. Hypoxia extends lifespan but does not alter telomere length or oxidative stress in a solitary bee (Megachile rotundata). Journal of Experimental Biology. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.250500.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.250500

Interpretive Summary: Aging is associated with increased risk of dysfunction and age-related diseases. Exposure to moderate stressors, including low oxygen, may increase longevity, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. ARS Researchers assessed telomere length and oxidative stress in M. rotundata prepupae to test the hypothesis that hypoxia increases longevity by limiting telomere loss from reactive oxygen species (ROS). Overwintering bees were exposed to 10%, 21%, or 24% oxygen for 9 months. Bees exposed to hypoxia (10% oxygen) had high survival after 9 months, compared to other treatments. Contrary to expectations, telomere length did not differ among oxygen treatments and increased in length in adults. Total antioxidant activity and lipid peroxidation showed no differences among oxygen treatments. Hypoxia may play a role in extending M. rotundata lifespan, but mechanisms driving this require further investigation.

Technical Abstract: Aging is associated with increased risk of dysfunction and age-related diseases, and stress exposure can accelerate the onset of aging. However, some stressors, including hypoxia, sometimes increases longevity, but the mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study we assess telomere length and oxidative stress as potential mechanisms driving prolonged prepupal lifespan in the leaf cutter bee, Megachile rotundata. We hypothesize that hypoxia increases longevity by limiting telomere loss from reactive oxygen species (ROS). Prepupae were maintained in 10, 21 or 24% oxygen for 9 months, and quantified telomere length, total antioxidant capacity, and lipid peroxidation across timepoints and oxygen treatments for prepupae and the emerging adults. Results show bees exposed to hypoxia had high survival after 9 months in 10% oxygen. At nine months, bees reared in 24% oxygen had 14% survival, while those in normoxia had 41% survival. We expect bees reared in hypoxia to have longer telomeres than bees reared in normoxia or hyperoxia, but telomeres did not differ among oxygen treatments, and instead increased in length in adults. Total antioxidant activity and lipid peroxidation also showed no differences among oxygen treatments, suggesting a strong compensatory response towards maintaining baseline levels of oxidative levels.