Data from: Oxidative stress and the evolution of sex differences in lifespan and ageing in the decorated cricket, Gryllodes sigillatus

The Free Radical Theory of Ageing (FRTA) predicts that oxidative stress, induced when levels of reactive oxygen species exceed the capacity of antioxidant defences, causes ageing. Recently, it has also been argued that oxidative damage may mediate important life-history trade-offs. Here, we use inbred lines of the decorated cricket, Gryllodes sigillatus, to estimate the genetic (co)variance between age-dependent reproductive effort, lifespan, ageing, oxidative damage and total antioxidant capacity within and between the sexes. The FRTA predicts that oxidative damage should accumulate with age and negatively correlate with lifespan. We find that protein oxidation is greater in the shorter lived sex (females) and negatively genetically correlated with lifespan in both sexes. However, oxidative damage did not accumulate with age in either sex. Previously we have shown antagonistic pleiotropy between the genes for early life reproductive effort and ageing rate in both sexes, although this was stronger in females. In females, we find that elevated fecundity early in life is associated with greater protein oxidation later in life, which is in turn positively correlated with the rate of ageing. Our results provide mixed support for the FRTA but suggest that oxidative stress may mediate sex-specific life-history strategies in G. sigillatus.Data_DryadAnnotated_ArcherThere is a key in the first sheet of the spreadsheet to explain column names. The first sheet in the spreadsheet also contains data for inbred animals while the second sheet contains reference data on outbred USA animals (not included in the statistical analyses). The spreadsheet contains information on the sex, age and origin of the animal (i.e. its inbred line). The sheets also show absolute protein and TAC and PC per unit protein. If you want any other information, please do not hesitate to contact me. Many thanks, Ruth Arche