Life-extending Dietary Restriction Reduces Oxidative Damage of Proteins in Grasshoppers but Does Not Alter Allocation of Ingested Nitrogen to Somatic Tissues.

Dietary restriction (DR) extends life span and reduces reproduction in most animals. The disposable soma hypothesis suggests that this longevity is the result of reduced investment in reproduction and increased nutrient allocation to the soma, permitting an increase in cellular maintenance. To investigate the role of nutrient allocation upon life-extending DR, tissue-specific nitrogen allocation was tracked in grasshoppers (Romalea microptera) upon a full or restricted (60% of full) diet.