Fins as a reliable surrogate tissue for age-related changes of telomeres and DNA methylation in gonads of a short-lived fish

Authors:
  • AKAnna Kromerová
    Anna Kromerová
  • MDMalahat Dianat
    Malahat Dianat
  • MFMiloslava Fojtová
    Miloslava Fojtová
  • DČDagmar Čížková
    Dagmar Čížková
  • JFJiří Fajkus
    Jiří Fajkus
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Abstract
Senescence is a multifactorial and individualised process of age-related physiological decline. Cellular markers, such as telomere length and DNA methylation, can reveal subtle changes associated with chronological age or expected lifespan. In this study, we evaluated the utility of fin tissue as a surrogate for assessing telomere length and proportion of DNA methylation in the gonads of a small, short-lived laboratory fish, the turquoise killifish ( Nothobranchius furzeri ). We collected fin and gonadal tissues from both females and males at three different ages, and extracted DNA to measure telomere length via terminal restriction fragment (TRF) analysis and global DNA methylation levels using double-digest restriction-associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq). Our results show a notable correspondence between telomere length and DNA methylation patterns in fin and gonadal tissues. These findings support the use of fin biopsies as a non-lethal method for assessing ageing biomarkers in the gonads of small freshwater fish.
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