Experimental evolution unveils a role for structural variants and sex-specificity in the genetic architecture of lifespan

In a seed beetle, >200 generations of experimental evolution produced near-doubling lifespan and strong genomic differentiation between short- and long-lived lines (global FST = 0.41).

• Why it matters: The work addresses how lifespan evolves genetically under selection, bridging evolutionary theory with mechanisms relevant to health, disease, and adaptation.
• What they did: Replicated populations were evolved for either short or long life, then whole-genome resequencing identified >700 genes under divergent selection and >600 genes within CNV regions; a pedigree scan mapped QTLs.
• The result: Long-life evolution involved many biological processes, with lifespan QTL effects dominated by many medium and small regions, and genome-wide spatial association was stronger for CNVs; QTL effects were sex-linked overall, with four regions showing pronounced sex differences.

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