Life History-Dependent Brain Transcriptomic Signatures in Nothobranchids: Insights into Aging, Neurogenesis, and Life History Evolution

TL;DR

This study explores brain gene activity in different types of killifish to understand how lifespan and brain cell development are connected.

Contribution

The study identifies life history-dependent brain transcriptomic signatures and links them to aging and neurogenesis in nothobranchids.

Findings

Brain gene expression profiles show strong life history signatures compared to liver tissue.

Genes related to neurogenesis like DNMT3A, SOX2, and FGF10 are downregulated in short-lived annual species.

The Notch signaling pathway is enriched in non-annual species, suggesting a role in longevity.

Abstract

The African turquoise killifish Nothobranchius furzeri is a powerful model organism in aging research. Within the family Nothobranchiidae, a wide range of lifespan is observed in annual, semi-annual, and non-annual life histories. In this study, we examined the brain transcriptomic signatures of adult nothobranchids across life history variations. Our results show that the brain gene expression profiles exhibit strong life history signatures compared to the liver tissue. Semi-annual Fundulopanchax species shows upregulation in cell division and mitosis compared to non-annual Aphyosemion species. We identified genes related to neurogenesis such as DNMT3A, SOX2, and FGF10 that show downregulation in the short-lived annual species compared to other life histories. The Notch signaling pathway is enriched in the non-annual species suggesting the importance of this pathway in longer-lived killifish. Our study demonstrates that other non-model nothobranchids can be used as comparative species to N.  furzeri in the study of aging, neurogenesis, and life history.

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