Skip to main content

Michael Rose

University of California, Irvine, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty Member

Followers

145

Following

79

Public Views

Michael R. Rose’s 1991 book Evolutionary Biology of Aging offered a view of aging that was a complete departure from the views that had dominated the aging field since 1960. In 1997, Rose was awarded the Busse Research Prize by the World Congress of Gerontology. In 2004, he published a technical summary of his work on the postponement of aging in Drosophila, Methuselah Flies, followed by a 2005 popular book, The Long Tomorrow. His most recent book, with L.D. Mueller and C.L. Rauser, is 2011’s Does Aging Stop? He is currently a Professor at the University of California, Irvine.

less

InterestsView All (6)

Uploads

Papers by Michael Rose

Hamiltonian patterns of age-dependent adaptation to novel environments

PLOS ONE, Oct 2, 2020

Experimental evolution with<i>Drosophila</i>

American Journal of Physiology-regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Jun 1, 2009

Genome-wide analysis of a long-term evolution experiment with Drosophila

Nature, Sep 1, 2010

Convergence to a Novel Environment: Comparative Method Versus Experimental Evolution

Evolution, 2004

Building bridges from genome to physiology using machine learning and Drosophila experimental evolution

Drosophila experimental evolution, with its well-defined selection protocols, has long supplied u... more Drosophila experimental evolution, with its well-defined selection protocols, has long supplied useful genetic material for the analysis of functional physiology. While there is a long tradition of interpreting the effects of large-effect mutants physiologically, in the genomic era identifying and interpreting gene-to-phenotype relationships has been challenging, with many labs not resolving how physiological traits are affected by multiple genes throughout the genome. Drosophila experimental evolution has demonstrated that multiple phenotypes change due to the evolution of many loci across the genome, creating the scientific challenge of sifting out differentiated but noncausal loci for individual characters. The fused lasso additive model method (FLAM) allows us to infer some of the differentiated loci that have relatively greater causal effects on the differentiation of specific phenotypes.The experimental material used in the present study comes from 50 populations that have bee...

An Evolutionary No Man’s Land" and "Reply from L. G. Harshman and A. A. Hoffmann

Diet and Botanical Supplementation: Combination Therapy for Healthspan Improvement?

Rejuvenation Research, 2020

Genomics of Early Cardiac Dysfunction and Mortality in ObeseDrosophila melanogaster

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 2019

In experimental evolution, we impose functional demands on laboratory populations of model organi... more In experimental evolution, we impose functional demands on laboratory populations of model organisms using selection. After enough generations of such selection, the resulting populations constitute excellent material for physiological research. An intense selection regime for increased starvation resistance was imposed on 10 large outbred Drosophila populations. We observed the selection responses of starvation and desiccation resistance, metabolic reserves, and heart robustness via electrical pacing. Furthermore, we sequenced the pooled genomes of these populations. As expected, significant increases in starvation resistance and lipid content were found in our 10 intensely selected SCO populations. The selection regime also improved desiccation resistance, water content, and glycogen content among these populations. Additionally, the average rate of cardiac arrests in our 10 obese SCO populations was double the rate of the 10 ancestral CO populations. Age-specific mortality rates were increased at early adult ages by selection. Genomic analysis revealed a large number of single nucleotide polymorphisms across the genome that changed in frequency as a result of selection. These genomic results were similar to those obtained in our laboratory from less direct selection procedures. The combination of extensive genomic and phenotypic differentiation between these 10 populations and their ancestors makes them a powerful system for the analysis of the physiological underpinnings of starvation resistance.

How phenotypic convergence arises in experimental evolution

Evolutionary convergence is a core issue in the study of adaptive evolution, as well as a highly ... more Evolutionary convergence is a core issue in the study of adaptive evolution, as well as a highly debated topic at present. Few studies have analyzed this issue using a “real-time” or evolutionary trajectory approach. Do populations that are initially differentiated converge to a similar adaptive state when experiencing a common novel environment?Drosophila subobscurapopulations founded from different locations and years showed initial differences and variation in evolutionary rates in several traits during short-term (∼20 generations) laboratory adaptation. Here we extend that analysis to 40 more generations to analyze (1) how differences in evolutionary dynamics between populations change between shorter and longer time spans, and (2) whether evolutionary convergence occurs after sixty generations of evolution in a common environment. We found substantial variation in longer-term evolutionary trajectories and differences between short and longer-term evolutionary dynamics. Though w...

Experimental Evolution and Heart Function inDrosophila

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 2017

Tracking changes in chromosomal arrangements and their genetic content during adaptation

Journal of evolutionary biology, Jan 11, 2016

There is considerable evidence for an adaptive role of inversions, but how their genetic content ... more There is considerable evidence for an adaptive role of inversions, but how their genetic content evolves and affects the subsequent evolution of chromosomal polymorphism remains controversial. Here we track how life-history traits, chromosomal arrangements, and 22 microsatellites, within and outside inversions, change in three replicated populations of Drosophila subobscura during 30 generations of laboratory evolution since founding from the wild. The dynamics of fitness-related traits indicated adaptation to the new environment concomitant with directional evolution of chromosomal polymorphism. Evidence of selective changes in frequency of inversions was obtained for seven out of 23 chromosomal arrangements, corroborating a role for inversions in adaptation. The evolution of linkage disequilibrium between some microsatellites and chromosomes suggested that adaptive changes of arrangements involved changes in their genetic content. Several microsatellite alleles increased in freque...

Evolution and Comparative Biology

Encyclopedia of Gerontology, 2007

Four steps toward the control of aging: following the example of infectious disease

Biogerontology, Jan 26, 2015

The biotechnological task of controlling human aging will evidently be complex, given the failure... more The biotechnological task of controlling human aging will evidently be complex, given the failure of all simple strategies for accomplishing this task to date. In view of this complexity, a multi-step approach will be necessary. One precedent for a multi-step biotechnological success is the burgeoning control of human infectious diseases from 1840 to 2000. Here we break down progress toward the control of infectious disease into four key steps, each of which have analogs for the control of aging. (1) Agreement about the fundamental nature of the medical problem. (2) Public health measures to mitigate some of the factors that exacerbate the medical problem. (3) Early biotechnological interventions that ward off the more tractable disease etiologies. (4) Deep understanding of the underlying biology of the diseases involved, leading in turn to comprehensive control of the medical problems that they pose. Achievement of all four of these steps has allowed most people who live in Western...

The Use of Selection to Probe Patterns of Pleiotropy in Fitness Characters

Insect Life Cycles, 1990

One of the more interesting questions in evolutionary biology is to what extent different charact... more One of the more interesting questions in evolutionary biology is to what extent different characters are evolutionarily interdependent because of alleles having effects on multiple characters, or pleiotropy. A number of characters may evolve in a correlated manner, as witness the allometric patterns to be found among many vertebrate attributes (see e.g. Sacher 1959), but this does not necessarily implicate pleiotropy. The correlation could instead be due to correlated patterns of selection, such as an ecological association between two different types of selection. It is conceivable that one predator could select on both sprint speed and endurance in a prey species, producing a correlated response that has nothing to do with any common effects of alleles. Such correlated responses are not considered here. The problem of interest is the ways in which fitness characters can be correlated with each other because of pleiotropy.

Do Species Converge during Adaptation? A Case Study inDrosophila

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 2007

Evolution of late‐life fecundity in Drosophila melanogaster

Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 2006

Late‐life fecundity has been shown to plateau at late ages in Drosophila analogously to late‐life... more Late‐life fecundity has been shown to plateau at late ages in Drosophila analogously to late‐life mortality rates. In this study, we test an evolutionary theory of late life based on the declining force of natural selection that can explain the occurrence of these late‐life plateaus in Drosophila. We also examine the viability of eggs laid by late‐age females and test a population genetic mechanism that may be involved in the evolution of late‐life fecundity: antagonistic pleiotropy. Together these experiments demonstrate that (i) fecundity plateaus at late ages, (ii) plateaus evolve according to the age at which the force of natural selection acting on fecundity reaches zero, (iii) eggs laid by females in late life are viable and (iv) antagonistic pleiotropy is involved in the evolution of late‐life fecundity. This study further supports the evolutionary theory of late life based on the age‐specific force of natural selection.

Reverse evolution of fitness inDrosophila melanogaster

Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 2002

From nature to the laboratory: the impact of founder effects on adaptation

Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 2012

Genome-Wide Association Study of Extreme Longevity in Drosophila melanogaster

Genome Biology and Evolution, 2013

Hamiltonian patterns of age-dependent adaptation to novel environments

PLOS ONE, Oct 2, 2020

Experimental evolution with<i>Drosophila</i>

American Journal of Physiology-regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Jun 1, 2009

Genome-wide analysis of a long-term evolution experiment with Drosophila

Nature, Sep 1, 2010

Convergence to a Novel Environment: Comparative Method Versus Experimental Evolution

Evolution, 2004

Building bridges from genome to physiology using machine learning and Drosophila experimental evolution

Drosophila experimental evolution, with its well-defined selection protocols, has long supplied u... more Drosophila experimental evolution, with its well-defined selection protocols, has long supplied useful genetic material for the analysis of functional physiology. While there is a long tradition of interpreting the effects of large-effect mutants physiologically, in the genomic era identifying and interpreting gene-to-phenotype relationships has been challenging, with many labs not resolving how physiological traits are affected by multiple genes throughout the genome. Drosophila experimental evolution has demonstrated that multiple phenotypes change due to the evolution of many loci across the genome, creating the scientific challenge of sifting out differentiated but noncausal loci for individual characters. The fused lasso additive model method (FLAM) allows us to infer some of the differentiated loci that have relatively greater causal effects on the differentiation of specific phenotypes.The experimental material used in the present study comes from 50 populations that have bee...

An Evolutionary No Man’s Land" and "Reply from L. G. Harshman and A. A. Hoffmann

Diet and Botanical Supplementation: Combination Therapy for Healthspan Improvement?

Rejuvenation Research, 2020

Genomics of Early Cardiac Dysfunction and Mortality in ObeseDrosophila melanogaster

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 2019

In experimental evolution, we impose functional demands on laboratory populations of model organi... more In experimental evolution, we impose functional demands on laboratory populations of model organisms using selection. After enough generations of such selection, the resulting populations constitute excellent material for physiological research. An intense selection regime for increased starvation resistance was imposed on 10 large outbred Drosophila populations. We observed the selection responses of starvation and desiccation resistance, metabolic reserves, and heart robustness via electrical pacing. Furthermore, we sequenced the pooled genomes of these populations. As expected, significant increases in starvation resistance and lipid content were found in our 10 intensely selected SCO populations. The selection regime also improved desiccation resistance, water content, and glycogen content among these populations. Additionally, the average rate of cardiac arrests in our 10 obese SCO populations was double the rate of the 10 ancestral CO populations. Age-specific mortality rates were increased at early adult ages by selection. Genomic analysis revealed a large number of single nucleotide polymorphisms across the genome that changed in frequency as a result of selection. These genomic results were similar to those obtained in our laboratory from less direct selection procedures. The combination of extensive genomic and phenotypic differentiation between these 10 populations and their ancestors makes them a powerful system for the analysis of the physiological underpinnings of starvation resistance.

How phenotypic convergence arises in experimental evolution

Evolutionary convergence is a core issue in the study of adaptive evolution, as well as a highly ... more Evolutionary convergence is a core issue in the study of adaptive evolution, as well as a highly debated topic at present. Few studies have analyzed this issue using a “real-time” or evolutionary trajectory approach. Do populations that are initially differentiated converge to a similar adaptive state when experiencing a common novel environment?Drosophila subobscurapopulations founded from different locations and years showed initial differences and variation in evolutionary rates in several traits during short-term (∼20 generations) laboratory adaptation. Here we extend that analysis to 40 more generations to analyze (1) how differences in evolutionary dynamics between populations change between shorter and longer time spans, and (2) whether evolutionary convergence occurs after sixty generations of evolution in a common environment. We found substantial variation in longer-term evolutionary trajectories and differences between short and longer-term evolutionary dynamics. Though w...

Experimental Evolution and Heart Function inDrosophila

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 2017

Tracking changes in chromosomal arrangements and their genetic content during adaptation

Journal of evolutionary biology, Jan 11, 2016

There is considerable evidence for an adaptive role of inversions, but how their genetic content ... more There is considerable evidence for an adaptive role of inversions, but how their genetic content evolves and affects the subsequent evolution of chromosomal polymorphism remains controversial. Here we track how life-history traits, chromosomal arrangements, and 22 microsatellites, within and outside inversions, change in three replicated populations of Drosophila subobscura during 30 generations of laboratory evolution since founding from the wild. The dynamics of fitness-related traits indicated adaptation to the new environment concomitant with directional evolution of chromosomal polymorphism. Evidence of selective changes in frequency of inversions was obtained for seven out of 23 chromosomal arrangements, corroborating a role for inversions in adaptation. The evolution of linkage disequilibrium between some microsatellites and chromosomes suggested that adaptive changes of arrangements involved changes in their genetic content. Several microsatellite alleles increased in freque...

Evolution and Comparative Biology

Encyclopedia of Gerontology, 2007

Four steps toward the control of aging: following the example of infectious disease

Biogerontology, Jan 26, 2015

The biotechnological task of controlling human aging will evidently be complex, given the failure... more The biotechnological task of controlling human aging will evidently be complex, given the failure of all simple strategies for accomplishing this task to date. In view of this complexity, a multi-step approach will be necessary. One precedent for a multi-step biotechnological success is the burgeoning control of human infectious diseases from 1840 to 2000. Here we break down progress toward the control of infectious disease into four key steps, each of which have analogs for the control of aging. (1) Agreement about the fundamental nature of the medical problem. (2) Public health measures to mitigate some of the factors that exacerbate the medical problem. (3) Early biotechnological interventions that ward off the more tractable disease etiologies. (4) Deep understanding of the underlying biology of the diseases involved, leading in turn to comprehensive control of the medical problems that they pose. Achievement of all four of these steps has allowed most people who live in Western...

The Use of Selection to Probe Patterns of Pleiotropy in Fitness Characters

Insect Life Cycles, 1990

One of the more interesting questions in evolutionary biology is to what extent different charact... more One of the more interesting questions in evolutionary biology is to what extent different characters are evolutionarily interdependent because of alleles having effects on multiple characters, or pleiotropy. A number of characters may evolve in a correlated manner, as witness the allometric patterns to be found among many vertebrate attributes (see e.g. Sacher 1959), but this does not necessarily implicate pleiotropy. The correlation could instead be due to correlated patterns of selection, such as an ecological association between two different types of selection. It is conceivable that one predator could select on both sprint speed and endurance in a prey species, producing a correlated response that has nothing to do with any common effects of alleles. Such correlated responses are not considered here. The problem of interest is the ways in which fitness characters can be correlated with each other because of pleiotropy.

Do Species Converge during Adaptation? A Case Study inDrosophila

Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 2007

Evolution of late‐life fecundity in Drosophila melanogaster

Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 2006

Late‐life fecundity has been shown to plateau at late ages in Drosophila analogously to late‐life... more Late‐life fecundity has been shown to plateau at late ages in Drosophila analogously to late‐life mortality rates. In this study, we test an evolutionary theory of late life based on the declining force of natural selection that can explain the occurrence of these late‐life plateaus in Drosophila. We also examine the viability of eggs laid by late‐age females and test a population genetic mechanism that may be involved in the evolution of late‐life fecundity: antagonistic pleiotropy. Together these experiments demonstrate that (i) fecundity plateaus at late ages, (ii) plateaus evolve according to the age at which the force of natural selection acting on fecundity reaches zero, (iii) eggs laid by females in late life are viable and (iv) antagonistic pleiotropy is involved in the evolution of late‐life fecundity. This study further supports the evolutionary theory of late life based on the age‐specific force of natural selection.

Reverse evolution of fitness inDrosophila melanogaster

Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 2002

From nature to the laboratory: the impact of founder effects on adaptation

Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 2012

Genome-Wide Association Study of Extreme Longevity in Drosophila melanogaster

Genome Biology and Evolution, 2013