Selection for Late Reproduction Leads to Loss of Complex I Mitochondrial Capacity and Associated Increased Longevity in Seed Beetles

Mitochondria play a key role in aging. Here, we measured integrated mitochondrial functions in experimentally evolved lines of the seed beetle Acanthoscelides obtectus that were selected for early (E) or late (L) reproduction for nearly 4 decades. The 2 lines have markedly different lifespans (8 days and 13 days in the E and L lines, respectively). The contribution of the NADH pathway to maximal flux was lower in the L compared to the E beetles at young stages, associated with increased control by complex I. In contrast, the contribution of the Succinate pathway was higher in the L than in the E line, whereas the Proline pathway showed no differences between the lines. Our data suggest that selection of age at reproduction leads to a modulation of complex I activity in mitochondria and that mitochondria are a functional link between evolutionary and mechanistic theories of aging.