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Lesur I, Rogier O, Sow MD, Boury C, Duplan A, Garnier A, Senhaji-Rachik A, Civan P, Daron J, Delaunay A, Duvaux L, Benoit V, Guichoux E, Le Provost G, Sanou E, Ambroise C, Plomion C, Salse J, Segura V, Tost J, Maury S. A strategy for studying epigenetic diversity in natural populations: proof of concept in poplar and oak. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:5568-5584. [PMID: 38889253 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
In the last 20 years, several techniques have been developed for quantifying DNA methylation, the most studied epigenetic marks in eukaryotes, including the gold standard method, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). WGBS quantifies genome-wide DNA methylation but has several inconveniences rendering it less suitable for population-scale epigenetic studies. The high cost of deep sequencing and the large amounts of data generated prompted us to seek an alternative approach. Restricting studies to parts of the genome would be a satisfactory alternative had there not been a major limitation: the need to select upstream targets corresponding to differentially methylated regions as targets. Given the need to study large numbers of samples, we propose a strategy for investigating DNA methylation variation in natural populations, taking into account the structural complexity of genomes, their size, and their content in unique coding regions versus repeated regions as transposable elements. We first identified regions of highly variable DNA methylation in a subset of genotypes representative of the biological diversity in the population by WGBS. We then analysed the variations of DNA methylation in these targeted regions at the population level by sequencing capture bisulfite (SeqCapBis). The entire strategy was then validated by applying it to another species. Our strategy was developed as a proof of concept on natural populations of two forest species: Populus nigra and Quercus petraea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Lesur
- INRAE, Univ. Bordeaux, BIOGECO, F-33610 Cestas, France
- HelixVenture, F-33700 Mérignac, France
| | | | - Mamadou Dia Sow
- INRAE/UCA UMR GDEC 1095. 5 Chemin de Beaulieu, F-63100 Clermont Ferrand, France
- P2e, INRAE, Université d'Orleans, EA 1207 USC 1328, F-45067 Orleans, France
| | | | - Alexandre Duplan
- INRAE, ONF, BioForA, F-45075 Orléans, France
- P2e, INRAE, Université d'Orleans, EA 1207 USC 1328, F-45067 Orleans, France
| | - Abel Garnier
- Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine, CEA-Institut de Biologie, François Jacob, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91000 Evry, France
| | | | - Peter Civan
- INRAE/UCA UMR GDEC 1095. 5 Chemin de Beaulieu, F-63100 Clermont Ferrand, France
| | - Josquin Daron
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR2000, Insect-Virus Interactions Unit, F-75724 Paris, France
| | - Alain Delaunay
- P2e, INRAE, Université d'Orleans, EA 1207 USC 1328, F-45067 Orleans, France
| | | | | | | | | | - Edmond Sanou
- LaMME, 23 Bd. de France, F-91037 Évry Cedex, France
| | | | | | - Jérôme Salse
- INRAE/UCA UMR GDEC 1095. 5 Chemin de Beaulieu, F-63100 Clermont Ferrand, France
| | - Vincent Segura
- INRAE, ONF, BioForA, F-45075 Orléans, France
- UMR AGAP Institut, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, INRAE, Institut Agro Montpellier, F-34398 Montpellier, France
| | - Jörg Tost
- Centre National de Recherche en Génomique Humaine, CEA-Institut de Biologie, François Jacob, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91000 Evry, France
| | - Stéphane Maury
- P2e, INRAE, Université d'Orleans, EA 1207 USC 1328, F-45067 Orleans, France
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2
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Miryeganeh M, Armitage DW. Epigenetic responses of trees to environmental stress in the context of climate change. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 39192567 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
In long-lived tree populations, when environmental change outpaces rates of evolutionary adaptation, plasticity in traits related to stress tolerance, dormancy, and dispersal may be vital for preventing extinction. While a population's genetic background partly determines its ability to adapt to a changing environment, so too do the many types of epigenetic modifications that occur within and among populations, which vary on timescales orders of magnitude faster than the emergence of new beneficial alleles. Consequently, phenotypic plasticity driven by epigenetic modification may be especially critical for sessile, long-lived organisms such as trees that must rely on this plasticity to keep pace with rapid anthropogenic environmental change. While studies have reported large effects of DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNAs on the expression of stress-tolerance genes and resulting phenotypic responses, little is known about the role of these effects in non-model plants and particularly in trees. Here, we review new findings in plant epigenetics with particular relevance to the ability of trees to adapt to or escape stressors associated with rapid climate change. Such findings include specific epigenetic influences over drought, heat, and salinity tolerance, as well as dormancy and dispersal traits. We also highlight promising findings concerning transgenerational inheritance of an epigenetic 'stress memory' in plants. As epigenetic information is becoming increasingly easy to obtain, we close by outlining ways in which ecologists can use epigenetic information better to inform population management and forecasting efforts. Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind phenotypic plasticity and stress memory in tree species offers a promising path towards a mechanistic understanding of trees' responses to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matin Miryeganeh
- Integrative Community Ecology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna-son, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - David W Armitage
- Integrative Community Ecology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna-son, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
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3
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Rodriguez-Izquierdo A, Carrasco D, Anand L, Magnani R, Catarecha P, Arroyo-Garcia R, Rodriguez Lopez CM. Epigenetic differences between wild and cultivated grapevines highlight the contribution of DNA methylation during crop domestication. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 24:504. [PMID: 38840239 PMCID: PMC11155169 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-05197-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
The domestication process in grapevines has facilitated the fixation of desired traits. Nowadays, vegetative propagation through cuttings enables easier preservation of these genotypes compared to sexual reproduction. Nonetheless, even with vegetative propagation, various phenotypes are often present within the same vineyard due to the accumulation of somatic mutations. These mutations are not the sole factors influencing phenotype. Alongside somatic variations, epigenetic variation has been proposed as a pivotal player in regulating phenotypic variability acquired during domestication. The emergence of these epialleles might have significantly influenced grapevine domestication over time. This study aims to investigate the impact of domestication on methylation patterns in cultivated grapevines. Reduced-representation bisulfite sequencing was conducted on 18 cultivated and wild accessions. Results revealed that cultivated grapevines exhibited higher methylation levels than their wild counterparts. Differential Methylation Analysis between wild and cultivated grapevines identified a total of 9955 differentially methylated cytosines, of which 78% were hypermethylated in cultivated grapevines. Functional analysis shows that core methylated genes (consistently methylated in both wild and cultivated accessions) are associated with stress response and terpenoid/isoprenoid metabolic processes. Meanwhile, genes with differential methylation are linked to protein targeting to the peroxisome, ethylene regulation, histone modifications, and defense response. Collectively, our results highlight the significant roles that epialleles may have played throughout the domestication history of grapevines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Rodriguez-Izquierdo
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP-INIA), CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Carrasco
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP-INIA), CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lakshay Anand
- Environmental Epigenetics and Genetics Group (EEGG), Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Food and environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Roberta Magnani
- Environmental Epigenetics and Genetics Group (EEGG), Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Food and environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Pablo Catarecha
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP-INIA), CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa Arroyo-Garcia
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas (CBGP-INIA), CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Campus Montegancedo, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Carlos M Rodriguez Lopez
- Environmental Epigenetics and Genetics Group (EEGG), Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Food and environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
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4
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Boissinot J, Adamek K, Jones AMP, Normandeau E, Boyle B, Torkamaneh D. Comparative restriction enzyme analysis of methylation (CREAM) reveals methylome variability within a clonal in vitro cannabis population. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1381154. [PMID: 38872884 PMCID: PMC11169872 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1381154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
The primary focus of medicinal cannabis research is to ensure the stability of cannabis lines for consistent administration of chemically uniform products to patients. In recent years, tissue culture has emerged as a valuable technique for genetic preservation and rapid multiplication of cannabis clones. However, there is concern that the physical and chemical conditions of the growing media can induce somaclonal variation, potentially impacting the viability and uniformity of clones. To address this concern, we developed Comparative Restriction Enzyme Analysis of Methylation (CREAM), a novel method to assess DNA methylation patterns and used it to study a population of 78 cannabis clones maintained in tissue culture. Through bioinformatics analysis of the methylome, we successfully detected 2,272 polymorphic methylated regions among the clones. Remarkably, our results demonstrated that DNA methylation patterns were preserved across subcultures within the clonal population, allowing us to distinguish between two subsets of clonal lines used in this study. These findings significantly contribute to our understanding of the epigenetic variability within clonal lines in medicinal cannabis produced through tissue culture techniques. This knowledge is crucial for understanding the effects of tissue culture on DNA methylation and ensuring the consistency and reliability of medicinal cannabis products with therapeutic properties. Additionally, the CREAM method is a fast and affordable technology to get a first glimpse at methylation in a biological system. It offers a valuable tool for studying epigenetic variation in other plant species, thereby facilitating broader applications in plant biotechnology and crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Boissinot
- Département de phytologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche et d’innovation sur les végétaux (CRIV), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut intelligence et données (IID), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Kristian Adamek
- Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | | | - Eric Normandeau
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Brian Boyle
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Davoud Torkamaneh
- Département de phytologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche et d’innovation sur les végétaux (CRIV), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut intelligence et données (IID), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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5
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Rosner A, Ballarin L, Barnay-Verdier S, Borisenko I, Drago L, Drobne D, Concetta Eliso M, Harbuzov Z, Grimaldi A, Guy-Haim T, Karahan A, Lynch I, Giulia Lionetto M, Martinez P, Mehennaoui K, Oruc Ozcan E, Pinsino A, Paz G, Rinkevich B, Spagnuolo A, Sugni M, Cambier S. A broad-taxa approach as an important concept in ecotoxicological studies and pollution monitoring. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:131-176. [PMID: 37698089 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic invertebrates play a pivotal role in (eco)toxicological assessments because they offer ethical, cost-effective and repeatable testing options. Additionally, their significance in the food chain and their ability to represent diverse aquatic ecosystems make them valuable subjects for (eco)toxicological studies. To ensure consistency and comparability across studies, international (eco)toxicology guidelines have been used to establish standardised methods and protocols for data collection, analysis and interpretation. However, the current standardised protocols primarily focus on a limited number of aquatic invertebrate species, mainly from Arthropoda, Mollusca and Annelida. These protocols are suitable for basic toxicity screening, effectively assessing the immediate and severe effects of toxic substances on organisms. For more comprehensive and ecologically relevant assessments, particularly those addressing long-term effects and ecosystem-wide impacts, we recommended the use of a broader diversity of species, since the present choice of taxa exacerbates the limited scope of basic ecotoxicological studies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of (eco)toxicological studies, focusing on major aquatic invertebrate taxa and how they are used to assess the impact of chemicals in diverse aquatic environments. The present work supports the use of a broad-taxa approach in basic environmental assessments, as it better represents the natural populations inhabiting various ecosystems. Advances in omics and other biochemical and computational techniques make the broad-taxa approach more feasible, enabling mechanistic studies on non-model organisms. By combining these approaches with in vitro techniques together with the broad-taxa approach, researchers can gain insights into less-explored impacts of pollution, such as changes in population diversity, the development of tolerance and transgenerational inheritance of pollution responses, the impact on organism phenotypic plasticity, biological invasion outcomes, social behaviour changes, metabolome changes, regeneration phenomena, disease susceptibility and tissue pathologies. This review also emphasises the need for harmonised data-reporting standards and minimum annotation checklists to ensure that research results are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR), maximising the use and reusability of data. The ultimate goal is to encourage integrated and holistic problem-focused collaboration between diverse scientific disciplines, international standardisation organisations and decision-making bodies, with a focus on transdisciplinary knowledge co-production for the One-Health approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amalia Rosner
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Loriano Ballarin
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, Padova, I-35121, Italy
| | - Stéphanie Barnay-Verdier
- Sorbonne Université; CNRS, INSERM, Université Côte d'Azur, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging Nice, 28 avenue Valombrose, Nice, F-06107, France
| | - Ilya Borisenko
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Embryology, Saint Petersburg State University, Universitetskaya embankment 7/9, Saint Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | - Laura Drago
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, Padova, I-35121, Italy
| | - Damjana Drobne
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 111, Ljubljana, 1111, Slovenia
| | - Maria Concetta Eliso
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, 80121, Italy
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Zoya Harbuzov
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
- Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, Department of Marine Biology, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Koushy Ave., Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Annalisa Grimaldi
- Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, Via J. H. Dunant, Varese, 3-21100, Italy
| | - Tamar Guy-Haim
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Arzu Karahan
- Middle East Technical University, Institute of Marine Sciences, Erdemli-Mersin, PO 28, 33731, Turkey
| | - Iseult Lynch
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Maria Giulia Lionetto
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, via prov. le Lecce -Monteroni, Lecce, I-73100, Italy
- NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina, 61, Palermo, I-90133, Italy
| | - Pedro Martinez
- Department de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, Barcelona, 08028, Spain
- Institut Català de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Passeig de Lluís Companys, Barcelona, 08010, Spain
| | - Kahina Mehennaoui
- Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), 41, rue du Brill, Belvaux, L-4422, Luxembourg
| | - Elif Oruc Ozcan
- Faculty of Arts and Science, Department of Biology, Cukurova University, Balcali, Saricam, Adana, 01330, Turkey
| | - Annalisa Pinsino
- National Research Council, Institute of Translational Pharmacology (IFT), National Research Council (CNR), Via Ugo La Malfa 153, Palermo, 90146, Italy
| | - Guy Paz
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Baruch Rinkevich
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, PO 2336 Sha'ar Palmer 1, Haifa, 3102201, Israel
| | - Antonietta Spagnuolo
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, 80121, Italy
| | - Michela Sugni
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Milan, Via Celoria 26, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Sébastien Cambier
- Environmental Research and Innovation (ERIN) Department, Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), 41, rue du Brill, Belvaux, L-4422, Luxembourg
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Fresnedo-Ramírez J, Anderson ES, D'Amico-Willman K, Gradziel TM. A review of plant epigenetics through the lens of almond. THE PLANT GENOME 2023; 16:e20367. [PMID: 37434488 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
While genomes were originally seen as static entities that stably held and organized genetic information, recent advances in sequencing have uncovered the dynamic nature of the genome. New conceptualizations of the genome include complex relationships between the environment and gene expression that must be maintained, regulated, and sometimes even transmitted over generations. The discovery of epigenetic mechanisms has allowed researchers to understand how traits like phenology, plasticity, and fitness can be altered without changing the underlying deoxyribonucleic acid sequence. While many discoveries were first made in animal systems, plants provide a particularly complex set of epigenetic mechanisms due to unique aspects of their biology and interactions with human selective breeding and cultivation. In the plant kingdom, annual plants have received the most attention; however, perennial plants endure and respond to their environment and human management in distinct ways. Perennials include crops such as almond, for which epigenetic effects have long been linked to phenomena and even considered relevant for breeding. Recent discoveries have elucidated epigenetic phenomena that influence traits such as dormancy and self-compatibility, as well as disorders like noninfectious bud failure, which are known to be triggered by the environment and influenced by inherent aspects of the plant. Thus, epigenetics represents fertile ground to further understand almond biology and production and optimize its breeding. Here, we provide our current understanding of epigenetic regulation in plants and use almond as an example of how advances in epigenetics research can be used to understand biological fitness and agricultural performance in crop plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth S Anderson
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH, USA
| | | | - Thomas M Gradziel
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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7
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Laine VN, Sepers B, Lindner M, Gawehns F, Ruuskanen S, van Oers K. An ecologist's guide for studying DNA methylation variation in wild vertebrates. Mol Ecol Resour 2023; 23:1488-1508. [PMID: 35466564 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The field of molecular biology is advancing fast with new powerful technologies, sequencing methods and analysis software being developed constantly. Commonly used tools originally developed for research on humans and model species are now regularly used in ecological and evolutionary research. There is also a growing interest in the causes and consequences of epigenetic variation in natural populations. Studying ecological epigenetics is currently challenging, especially for vertebrate systems, because of the required technical expertise, complications with analyses and interpretation, and limitations in acquiring sufficiently high sample sizes. Importantly, neglecting the limitations of the experimental setup, technology and analyses may affect the reliability and reproducibility, and the extent to which unbiased conclusions can be drawn from these studies. Here, we provide a practical guide for researchers aiming to study DNA methylation variation in wild vertebrates. We review the technical aspects of epigenetic research, concentrating on DNA methylation using bisulfite sequencing, discuss the limitations and possible pitfalls, and how to overcome them through rigid and reproducible data analysis. This review provides a solid foundation for the proper design of epigenetic studies, a clear roadmap on the best practices for correct data analysis and a realistic view on the limitations for studying ecological epigenetics in vertebrates. This review will help researchers studying the ecological and evolutionary implications of epigenetic variation in wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika N Laine
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Bernice Sepers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Melanie Lindner
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Chronobiology Unit, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Fleur Gawehns
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, The Netherlands
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8
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Forte FP, Malinowska M, Nagy I, Schmid J, Dijkwel P, Hume DE, Johnson RD, Simpson WR, Asp T. Methylome changes in Lolium perenne associated with long-term colonisation by the endophytic fungus Epichloë sp. LpTG-3 strain AR37. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1258100. [PMID: 37810388 PMCID: PMC10557135 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1258100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Epichloë spp. often form mutualistic interactions with cool-season grasses, such as Lolium perenne. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this interaction remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed reduced representation bisulfite sequencing method (epiGBS) to investigate the impact of the Epichloë sp. LpTG-3 strain AR37 on the methylome of L. perenne across multiple grass generations and under drought stress conditions. Our results showed that the presence of the endophyte leads to a decrease in DNA methylation across genomic features, with differentially methylated regions primarily located in intergenic regions and CHH contexts. The presence of the endophyte was consistently associated with hypomethylation in plants across generations. This research sheds new light on the molecular mechanisms governing the mutualistic interaction between Epichloë sp. LpTG-3 strain AR37 and L. perenne. It underscores the role of methylation changes associated with endophyte infection and suggests that the observed global DNA hypomethylation in L. perenne may be influenced by factors such as the duration of the endophyte-plant association and the accumulation of genetic and epigenetic changes over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Pilar Forte
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Marta Malinowska
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Istvan Nagy
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jan Schmid
- Ferguson Street Laboratories, Palmerston North, New Zealand
- School of Fundamental Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Paul Dijkwel
- Ferguson Street Laboratories, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - David E. Hume
- AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | | | - Wayne R. Simpson
- AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Torben Asp
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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Troyee AN, Peña-Ponton C, Medrano M, Verhoeven KJF, Alonso C. Herbivory induced methylation changes in the Lombardy poplar: A comparison of results obtained by epiGBS and WGBS. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0291202. [PMID: 37682835 PMCID: PMC10490839 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA cytosine methylation is an epigenetic mechanism involved in regulation of plant responses to biotic and abiotic stress and its ability to change can vary with the sequence context in which a cytosine appears (CpG, CHG, CHH, where H = Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine). Quantification of DNA methylation in model plant species is frequently addressed by Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing (WGBS), which requires a good-quality reference genome. Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing (RRBS) is a cost-effective potential alternative for ecological research with limited genomic resources and large experimental designs. In this study, we provide for the first time a comprehensive comparison between the outputs of RRBS and WGBS to characterize DNA methylation changes in response to a given environmental factor. In particular, we used epiGBS (recently optimized RRBS) and WGBS to assess global and sequence-specific differential methylation after insect and artificial herbivory in clones of Populus nigra cv. 'italica'. We found that, after any of the two herbivory treatments, global methylation percentage increased in CHH, and the shift was detected as statistically significant only by epiGBS. As regards to loci-specific differential methylation induced by herbivory (cytosines in epiGBS and regions in WGBS), both techniques indicated the specificity of the response elicited by insect and artificial herbivory, together with higher frequency of hypo-methylation in CpG and hyper-methylation in CHH. Methylation changes were mainly found in gene bodies and intergenic regions when present at CpG and CHG and in transposable elements and intergenic regions at CHH context. Thus, epiGBS succeeded to characterize global, genome-wide methylation changes in response to herbivory in the Lombardy poplar. Our results support that epiGBS could be particularly useful in large experimental designs aimed to explore epigenetic changes of non-model plant species in response to multiple environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Niloya Troyee
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Cristian Peña-Ponton
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mónica Medrano
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
| | - Koen J. F. Verhoeven
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Conchita Alonso
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
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10
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Zeng X, Guo X, Jiang S, Yang X, Zhong Z, Liu S, Zhu Z, Song J, Yang C. Digital-scRRBS: A Cost-Effective, Highly Sensitive, and Automated Single-Cell Methylome Analysis Platform via Digital Microfluidics. Anal Chem 2023; 95:13313-13321. [PMID: 37616549 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c02484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Single-cell DNA methylation sequencing is highly effective for identifying cell subpopulations and constructing epigenetic regulatory networks. Existing methylome analyses require extensive starting materials and are costly, complex, and susceptible to contamination, thereby impeding the development of single-cell methylome technology. In this work, we report digital microfluidics-based single-cell reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (digital-scRRBS), the first microfluidics-based single-cell methylome library construction platform, which is an automatic, effective, reproducible, and reagent-efficient technique to dissect the single-cell methylome. Using our digital microfluidic chip, we isolated single cells in 15 s and successfully constructed single-cell methylation sequencing libraries with a unique genome mapping rate of up to 53.6%, covering up to 2.26 million CpG sites. Digital-scRRBS demonstrates a high capacity for distinguishing cell identity and tracking DNA methylation during drug administration. Digital-scRRBS expands the applicability of single-cell methylation methods as a versatile tool for epigenetic analysis of rare cells and populations with high levels of heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Zeng
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical of Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Xiaoxu Guo
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical of Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Shaowei Jiang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical of Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Xiaoping Yang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical of Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Zhixing Zhong
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical of Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Siyu Liu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical of Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Zhi Zhu
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical of Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Jia Song
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Chaoyong Yang
- The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis & Instrumentation, the Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, State Key Laboratory of Physical of Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200127, China
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11
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Sepers B, Mateman AC, Gawehns F, Verhoeven KJF, van Oers K. Developmental stress does not induce genome-wide DNA methylation changes in wild great tit (Parus major) nestlings. Mol Ecol 2023. [PMID: 37154074 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The environment experienced during early life is a crucial factor in the life of many organisms. This early life environment has been shown to have profound effects on morphology, physiology and fitness. However, the molecular mechanisms that mediate these effects are largely unknown, even though they are essential for our understanding of the processes that induce phenotypic variation in natural populations. DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism that has been suggested to explain such environmentally induced phenotypic changes early in life. To investigate whether DNA methylation changes are associated with experimentally induced early developmental effects, we cross-fostered great tit (Parus major) nestlings and manipulated their brood sizes in a natural study population. We assessed experimental brood size effects on pre-fledging biometry and behaviour. We linked this to genome-wide DNA methylation levels of CpG sites in erythrocyte DNA, using 122 individuals and an improved epiGBS2 laboratory protocol. Brood enlargement caused developmental stress and negatively affected nestling condition, predominantly during the second half of the breeding season, when conditions are harsher. Brood enlargement, however, affected nestling DNA methylation in only one CpG site and only if the hatch date was taken into account. In conclusion, this study shows that nutritional stress in enlarged broods does not associate with direct effects on genome-wide DNA methylation. Future studies should assess whether genome-wide DNA methylation variation may arise later in life as a consequence of phenotypic changes during early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernice Sepers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - A Christa Mateman
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Fleur Gawehns
- Bioinformatics Unit, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Koen J F Verhoeven
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen, The Netherlands
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12
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Pham K, Ho L, D'Incal CP, De Cock A, Berghe WV, Goethals P. Epigenetic analytical approaches in ecotoxicological aquatic research. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 330:121737. [PMID: 37121302 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Environmental epigenetics has become a key research focus in global climate change studies and environmental pollutant investigations impacting aquatic ecosystems. Specifically, triggered by environmental stress conditions, intergenerational DNA methylation changes contribute to biological adaptive responses and survival of organisms to increase their tolerance towards these conditions. To critically review epigenetic analytical approaches in ecotoxicological aquatic research, we evaluated 78 publications reported over the past five years (2016-2021) that applied these methods to investigate the responses of aquatic organisms to environmental changes and pollution. The results show that DNA methylation appears to be the most robust epigenetic regulatory mark studied in aquatic animals. As such, multiple DNA methylation analysis methods have been developed in aquatic organisms, including enzyme restriction digestion-based and methyl-specific immunoprecipitation methods, and bisulfite (in)dependent sequencing strategies. In contrast, only a handful of aquatic studies, i.e. about 15%, have been focusing on histone variants and post-translational modifications due to the lack of species-specific affinity based immunological reagents, such as specific antibodies for chromatin immunoprecipitation applications. Similarly, ncRNA regulation remains as the least popular method used in the field of environmental epigenetics. Insights into the opportunities and challenges of the DNA methylation and histone variant analysis methods as well as decreasing costs of next generation sequencing approaches suggest that large-scale epigenetic environmental studies in model and non-model organisms will soon become available in the near future. Moreover, antibody-dependent and independent methods, such as mass spectrometry-based methods, can be used as an alternative epigenetic approach to characterize global changes of chromatin histone modifications in future aquatic research. Finally, a systematic guide for DNA methylation and histone variant methods is offered for ecotoxicological aquatic researchers to select the most relevant epigenetic analytical approach in their research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Pham
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent 9000, Belgium.
| | - Long Ho
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Claudio Peter D'Incal
- Protein Chemistry, Proteomics and Epigenetic Signaling (PPES), Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp, 2610, Belgium
| | - Andrée De Cock
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Wim Vanden Berghe
- Protein Chemistry, Proteomics and Epigenetic Signaling (PPES), Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp, 2610, Belgium
| | - Peter Goethals
- Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent 9000, Belgium
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13
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Ibañez VN, van Antro M, Peña-Ponton C, Milanovic-Ivanovic S, Wagemaker CAM, Gawehns F, Verhoeven KJF. Environmental and genealogical effects on DNA methylation in a widespread apomictic dandelion lineage. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:663-674. [PMID: 36810811 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation in plant genomes occurs in different sequences and genomic contexts that have very different properties. DNA methylation that occurs in CG (mCG) sequence context shows transgenerational stability and high epimutation rate, and can thus provide genealogical information at short time scales. However, due to meta-stability and because mCG variants may arise due to other factors than epimutation, such as environmental stress exposure, it is not clear how well mCG captures genealogical information at micro-evolutionary time scales. Here, we analysed DNA methylation variation between accessions from a geographically widespread, apomictic common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) lineage when grown experimentally under different light conditions. Using a reduced-representation bisulphite sequencing approach, we show that the light treatment induced differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs) in all sequence contexts, with a bias towards transposable elements. Accession differences were associated mainly with DMCs in CG context. Hierarchical clustering of samples based on total mCG profiles revealed a perfect clustering of samples by accession identity, irrespective of light conditions. Using microsatellite information as a benchmark of genetic divergence within the clonal lineage, we show that genetic divergence between accessions correlates strongly with overall mCG profiles. However, our results suggest that environmental effects that do occur in CG context may produce a heritable signal that partly dilutes the genealogical signal. Our study shows that methylation information in plants can be used to reconstruct micro-evolutionary genealogy, providing a useful tool in systems that lack genetic variation such as clonal and vegetatively propagated plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Noé Ibañez
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, INRAE, Université Evry, Université Paris Diderot, Gif sur Yvette, France.,Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Morgane van Antro
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Cristian Peña-Ponton
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Slavica Milanovic-Ivanovic
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Fleur Gawehns
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Koen J F Verhoeven
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
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14
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Van Antro M, Prelovsek S, Ivanovic S, Gawehns F, Wagemaker NCAM, Mysara M, Horemans N, Vergeer P, Verhoeven KJF. DNA methylation in clonal duckweed (Lemna minor L.) lineages reflects current and historical environmental exposures. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:428-443. [PMID: 36324253 PMCID: PMC10100429 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Environmentally induced DNA methylation variants may mediate gene expression responses to environmental changes. If such induced variants are transgenerationally stable, there is potential for expression responses to persist over multiple generations. Our current knowledge in plants, however, is almost exclusively based on studies conducted in sexually reproducing species where the majority of DNA methylation changes are subject to resetting in germlines, limiting the potential for transgenerational epigenetics stress memory. Asexual reproduction circumvents germlines, and may therefore be more conducive to long-term inheritance of epigenetic marks. Taking advantage of the rapid clonal reproduction of the common duckweed Lemna minor, we hypothesize that long-term, transgenerational stress memory from exposure to high temperature can be detected in DNA methylation profiles. Using a reduced representation bisulphite sequencing approach (epiGBS), we show that temperature stress induces DNA hypermethylation at many CG and CHG cytosine contexts but not CHH. Additionally, differential methylation in CHG context that was observed was still detected in a subset of cytosines, even after 3-12 generations of culturing in a common environment. This demonstrates a memory effect of stress reflected in the methylome and that persists over multiple clonal generations. Structural annotation revealed that this memory effect in CHG methylation was enriched in transposable elements. The observed epigenetic stress memory is probably caused by stable transgenerational persistence of temperature-induced DNA methylation variants across clonal generations. To the extent that such epigenetic memory has functional consequences for gene expression and phenotypes, this result suggests potential for long-term modulation of stress responses in asexual plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgane Van Antro
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Stella Prelovsek
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Slavica Ivanovic
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Fleur Gawehns
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
| | | | - Mohamed Mysara
- Biosphere Impact StudiesBelgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN)MolBelgium
| | - Nele Horemans
- Biosphere Impact StudiesBelgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN)MolBelgium
| | - Philippine Vergeer
- Plant Ecology and PhysiologyRadboud UniversityNijmegenThe Netherlands
- Wageningen University and Research (WUR)Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation GroupWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Koen J. F. Verhoeven
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
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15
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Boquete MT, Schmid MW, Wagemaker NC, Carey SB, McDaniel SF, Richards CL, Alonso C. Heavy metal tolerance in Scopelophila cataractae: Transcriptomic and epigenetic datasets. Data Brief 2022; 45:108710. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2022.108710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
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16
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Varotto S, Krugman T, Aiese Cigliano R, Kashkush K, Kondić-Špika A, Aravanopoulos FA, Pradillo M, Consiglio F, Aversano R, Pecinka A, Miladinović D. Exploitation of epigenetic variation of crop wild relatives for crop improvement and agrobiodiversity preservation. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2022; 135:3987-4003. [PMID: 35678824 PMCID: PMC9729329 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-022-04122-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Crop wild relatives (CWRs) are recognized as the best potential source of traits for crop improvement. However, successful crop improvement using CWR relies on identifying variation in genes controlling desired traits in plant germplasms and subsequently incorporating them into cultivars. Epigenetic diversity may provide an additional layer of variation within CWR and can contribute novel epialleles for key traits for crop improvement. There is emerging evidence that epigenetic variants of functional and/or agronomic importance exist in CWR gene pools. This provides a rationale for the conservation of epigenotypes of interest, thus contributing to agrobiodiversity preservation through conservation and (epi)genetic monitoring. Concepts and techniques of classical and modern breeding should consider integrating recent progress in epigenetics, initially by identifying their association with phenotypic variations and then by assessing their heritability and stability in subsequent generations. New tools available for epigenomic analysis offer the opportunity to capture epigenetic variation and integrate it into advanced (epi)breeding programmes. Advances in -omics have provided new insights into the sources and inheritance of epigenetic variation and enabled the efficient introduction of epi-traits from CWR into crops using epigenetic molecular markers, such as epiQTLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Varotto
- Department of Agronomy Animal Food Natural Resources and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università, 16 35020, Legnaro, Italy.
| | - Tamar Krugman
- Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Abba Khoushy Ave 199, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Khalil Kashkush
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beersheba, 84105, Israel
| | - Ankica Kondić-Špika
- Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Maksima Gorkog 30, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Fillipos A Aravanopoulos
- Faculty of Agriculture, Forest Science & Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, GR54006, Greece
| | - Monica Pradillo
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Federica Consiglio
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council (CNR), Via Università 133, 80055, Portici, Italy
| | - Riccardo Aversano
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055, Portici, Italy
| | - Ales Pecinka
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Czech Acad Sci, Šlechtitelů 31, 779 00, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Dragana Miladinović
- Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Maksima Gorkog 30, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia
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17
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Rajpal VR, Rathore P, Mehta S, Wadhwa N, Yadav P, Berry E, Goel S, Bhat V, Raina SN. Epigenetic variation: A major player in facilitating plant fitness under changing environmental conditions. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1020958. [PMID: 36340045 PMCID: PMC9628676 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1020958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research in plant epigenetics has increased our understanding of how epigenetic variability can contribute to adaptive phenotypic plasticity in natural populations. Studies show that environmental changes induce epigenetic switches either independently or in complementation with the genetic variation. Although most of the induced epigenetic variability gets reset between generations and is short-lived, some variation becomes transgenerational and results in heritable phenotypic traits. The short-term epigenetic responses provide the first tier of transient plasticity required for local adaptations while transgenerational epigenetic changes contribute to stress memory and help the plants respond better to recurring or long-term stresses. These transgenerational epigenetic variations translate into an additional tier of diversity which results in stable epialleles. In recent years, studies have been conducted on epigenetic variation in natural populations related to various biological processes, ecological factors, communities, and habitats. With the advent of advanced NGS-based technologies, epigenetic studies targeting plants in diverse environments have increased manifold to enhance our understanding of epigenetic responses to environmental stimuli in facilitating plant fitness. Taking all points together in a frame, the present review is a compilation of present-day knowledge and understanding of the role of epigenetics and its fitness benefits in diverse ecological systems in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Rani Rajpal
- Department of Botany, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
- *Correspondence: Vijay Rani Rajpal, , ; Shailendra Goel, ; Vishnu Bhat, ; Soom Nath Raina,
| | | | - Sahil Mehta
- School of Agricultural Sciences, K.R. Mangalam University, Gurugram, Haryana, India
| | - Nikita Wadhwa
- University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Eapsa Berry
- Maharishi Kanad Bhawan, Delhi School of Climate Change and Sustainability, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Shailendra Goel
- Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
- *Correspondence: Vijay Rani Rajpal, , ; Shailendra Goel, ; Vishnu Bhat, ; Soom Nath Raina,
| | - Vishnu Bhat
- Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
- *Correspondence: Vijay Rani Rajpal, , ; Shailendra Goel, ; Vishnu Bhat, ; Soom Nath Raina,
| | - Soom Nath Raina
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
- *Correspondence: Vijay Rani Rajpal, , ; Shailendra Goel, ; Vishnu Bhat, ; Soom Nath Raina,
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18
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Hansen PB, Ruud AK, de los Campos G, Malinowska M, Nagy I, Svane SF, Thorup-Kristensen K, Jensen JD, Krusell L, Asp T. Integration of DNA Methylation and Transcriptome Data Improves Complex Trait Prediction in Hordeum vulgare. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11172190. [PMID: 36079572 PMCID: PMC9459846 DOI: 10.3390/plants11172190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Whole-genome multi-omics profiles contain valuable information for the characterization and prediction of complex traits in plants. In this study, we evaluate multi-omics models to predict four complex traits in barley (Hordeum vulgare); grain yield, thousand kernel weight, protein content, and nitrogen uptake. Genomic, transcriptomic, and DNA methylation data were obtained from 75 spring barley lines tested in the RadiMax semi-field phenomics facility under control and water-scarce treatment. By integrating multi-omics data at genomic, transcriptomic, and DNA methylation regulatory levels, a higher proportion of phenotypic variance was explained (0.72–0.91) than with genomic models alone (0.55–0.86). The correlation between predictions and phenotypes varied from 0.17–0.28 for control plants and 0.23–0.37 for water-scarce plants, and the increase in accuracy was significant for nitrogen uptake and protein content compared to models using genomic information alone. Adding transcriptomic and DNA methylation information to the prediction models explained more of the phenotypic variance attributed to the environment in grain yield and nitrogen uptake. It furthermore explained more of the non-additive genetic effects for thousand kernel weight and protein content. Our results show the feasibility of multi-omics prediction for complex traits in barley.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pernille Bjarup Hansen
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, 4200 Slagelse, Denmark
- Correspondence: (P.B.H.); (T.A.); Tel.: +45-87158243 (T.A.)
| | - Anja Karine Ruud
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, 4200 Slagelse, Denmark
| | - Gustavo de los Campos
- Departments of Epidemiology & Biostatistics and Statistics & Probability, Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Marta Malinowska
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, 4200 Slagelse, Denmark
| | - Istvan Nagy
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, 4200 Slagelse, Denmark
| | - Simon Fiil Svane
- Section for Crop Sciences, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Copenhagen University, 2630 Taastrup, Denmark
| | - Kristian Thorup-Kristensen
- Section for Crop Sciences, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Copenhagen University, 2630 Taastrup, Denmark
| | | | - Lene Krusell
- Sejet Plant Breeding, Nørremarksvej 67, 8700 Horsens, Denmark
| | - Torben Asp
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Aarhus University, 4200 Slagelse, Denmark
- Correspondence: (P.B.H.); (T.A.); Tel.: +45-87158243 (T.A.)
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19
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Šrut M. Environmental Epigenetics in Soil Ecosystems: Earthworms as Model Organisms. TOXICS 2022; 10:toxics10070406. [PMID: 35878310 PMCID: PMC9323174 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10070406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
One of the major emerging concerns within ecotoxicology is the effect of environmental pollutants on epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs. Epigenetic mechanisms regulate gene expression, meaning that the alterations of epigenetic marks can induce long-term physiological effects that can even be inherited across generations. Many invertebrate species have been used as models in environmental epigenetics, with a special focus on DNA methylation changes caused by environmental perturbations (e.g., pollution). Among soil organisms, earthworms are considered the most relevant sentinel organisms for anthropogenic stress assessment and are widely used as standard models in ecotoxicological testing of soil toxicity. In the last decade, several research groups have focused on assessing the impact of environmental stress on earthworm epigenetic mechanisms and tried to link these mechanisms to the physiological effects. The aim of this review is to give an overview and to critically examine the available literature covering this topic. The high level of earthworm genome methylation for an invertebrate species, responsiveness of epigenome to environmental stimuli, availability of molecular resources, and the possibility to study epigenetic inheritance make earthworms adequate models in environmental epigenomics. However, there are still many knowledge gaps that need to be filled in, before we can fully explore earthworms as models in this field. These include detailed characterization of the methylome using next-generation sequencing tools, exploration of multigenerational and transgenerational effects of pollutants, and information about other epigenetic mechanisms apart from DNA methylation. Moreover, the connection between epigenetic effects and phenotype has to be further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Šrut
- Department of Zoology, Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstraße 25, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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20
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Mounger JM, van Riemsdijk I, Boquete MT, Wagemaker CAM, Fatma S, Robertson MH, Voors SA, Oberstaller J, Gawehns F, Hanley TC, Grosse I, Verhoeven KJF, Sotka EE, Gehring CA, Hughes AR, Lewis DB, Schmid MW, Richards CL. Genetic and Epigenetic Differentiation Across Intertidal Gradients in the Foundation Plant Spartina alterniflora. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.868826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological genomics approaches have informed us about the structure of genetic diversity in natural populations that might underlie patterns in trait variation. However, we still know surprisingly little about the mechanisms that permit organisms to adapt to variable environmental conditions. The salt marsh foundation plant Spartina alterniflora exhibits a dramatic range in phenotype that is associated with a pronounced intertidal environmental gradient across a narrow spatial scale. Both genetic and non-genetic molecular mechanisms might underlie this phenotypic variation. To investigate both, we used epigenotyping-by-sequencing (epiGBS) to evaluate the make-up of natural populations across the intertidal environmental gradient. Based on recent findings, we expected that both DNA sequence and DNA methylation diversity would be explained by source population and habitat within populations. However, we predicted that epigenetic variation might be more strongly associated with habitat since similar epigenetic modifications could be rapidly elicited across different genetic backgrounds by similar environmental conditions. Overall, with PERMANOVA we found that population of origin explained a significant amount of the genetic (8.6%) and epigenetic (3.2%) variance. In addition, we found that a small but significant amount of genetic and epigenetic variance (<1%) was explained by habitat within populations. The interaction of population and habitat explained an additional 2.9% of the genetic variance and 1.4% of the epigenetic variance. By examining genetic and epigenetic variation within the same fragments (variation in close-cis), we found that population explained epigenetic variation in 9.2% of 8,960 tested loci, even after accounting for differences in the DNA sequence of the fragment. Habitat alone explained very little (<0.1%) of the variation in these close-cis comparisons, but the interaction of population and habitat explained 2.1% of the epigenetic variation in these loci. Using multiple matrix regression with randomization (MMRR) we found that phenotypic differences in natural populations were correlated with epigenetic and environmental differences even when accounting for genetic differences. Our results support the contention that sequence variation explains most of the variation in DNA methylation, but we have provided evidence that DNA methylation distinctly contributes to plant responses in natural populations.
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21
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Miryeganeh M. Mangrove Forests: Natural Laboratories for Studying Epigenetic and Climate Changes. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:851518. [PMID: 35283879 PMCID: PMC8915441 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.851518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In the adaptation market, plants cash in the changes of their DNA (either genetic or epigenetic) to purchase fitness. Fitness is negatively affected by stressful conditions caused by climate change and well-designed studies are required to investigate the fine-tuning cooperation of epigenetic and genetic changes in response to those stresses. Mangrove trees are promising model systems for studying climate change because the effects of environmental changes are already evident in their natural habitats where they are exposed to different salinity levels ranging from saltwater to freshwater. In addition, as mangrove species are known to have very low genetic diversity caused by their stressful living conditions, epigenetic variation is likely to be a vital source for them to respond to environmental changes. This mini review aims to provide an overview of available studies on epigenetic regulation and adaptation of mangroves.
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22
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Gawehns F, Postuma M, Van Antro M, Nunn A, Sepers B, Fatma S, van Gurp TP, Wagemaker NCAM, Mateman AC, Milanovic-Ivanovic S, Grosse I, van Oers K, Vergeer P, Verhoeven KJF. epiGBS2: Improvements and evaluation of highly multiplexed, epiGBS-based reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. Mol Ecol Resour 2022; 22:2087-2104. [PMID: 35178872 PMCID: PMC9311447 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Several reduced‐representation bisulfite sequencing methods have been developed in recent years to determine cytosine methylation de novo in nonmodel species. Here, we present epiGBS2, a laboratory protocol based on epiGBS with a revised and user‐friendly bioinformatics pipeline for a wide range of species with or without a reference genome. epiGBS2 is cost‐ and time‐efficient and the computational workflow is designed in a user‐friendly and reproducible manner. The library protocol allows a flexible choice of restriction enzymes and a double digest. The bioinformatics pipeline was integrated in the snakemake workflow management system, which makes the pipeline easy to execute and modular, and parameter settings for important computational steps flexible. We implemented bismark for alignment and methylation analysis and we preprocessed alignment files by double masking to enable single nucleotide polymorphism calling with freebayes (epifreebayes). The performance of several critical steps in epiGBS2 was evaluated against baseline data sets from Arabidopsis thaliana and great tit (Parus major), which confirmed its overall good performance. We provide a detailed description of the laboratory protocol and an extensive manual of the bioinformatics pipeline, which is publicly accessible on github (https://github.com/nioo‐knaw/epiGBS2) and zenodo (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4764652).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fleur Gawehns
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Bioinformatics Unit, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Maarten Postuma
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Wageningen, the Netherlands.,Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Morgane Van Antro
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Adam Nunn
- ecSeq Bioinformatics GmbH, Leipzig, Germany.,Universität Leipzig, Institut für Informatik, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bernice Sepers
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Department of Animal Ecology, Wageningen, the Netherlands.,Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Samar Fatma
- Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Computer Science, Halle, Germany
| | - Thomas P van Gurp
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - A Christa Mateman
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Department of Animal Ecology, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Slavica Milanovic-Ivanovic
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ivo Grosse
- Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Institute of Computer Science, Halle, Germany.,German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kees van Oers
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Department of Animal Ecology, Wageningen, the Netherlands.,Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Philippine Vergeer
- Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Koen J F Verhoeven
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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23
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Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs are increasingly targeted in studies of natural populations. Here, I review some of the insights gained from this research, examine some of the methods currently in use and discuss some of the challenges that researchers working on natural populations are likely to face when probing epigenetic mechanisms. While studies supporting the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms in generating phenotypic variation in natural populations are amassing, many of these studies are currently correlative in nature. Thus, while empirical data point to widespread contributions of epigenetic mechanisms in generating phenotypic variation, there are still concerns as to whether epigenetic variation is instead ultimately controlled by genetic variation. Disentangling these two sources of variation will be a key to resolving the debate about the importance of epigenetic mechanisms, and studies on natural populations that partition the relative contribution of genetic and epigenetic factors to phenotypic variation can play an important role in this debate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arild Husby
- Evolutionary Biology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-75236 Uppsala, Sweden.,Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University for Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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24
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Thakur RK, Prasad P, Bhardwaj SC, Gangwar OP, Kumar S. Epigenetics of wheat-rust interaction: an update. PLANTA 2022; 255:50. [PMID: 35084577 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-022-03829-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The outcome of different host-pathogen interactions is influenced by both genetic and epigenetic systems, which determine the response of plants to pathogens and vice versa. This review highlights key molecular mechanisms and conceptual advances involved in epigenetic research and the progress made in epigenetics of wheat-rust interactions. Epigenetics implies the heritable changes in the way of gene expression as a consequence of the modification of DNA bases, histone proteins, and/or non-coding-RNA biogenesis without disturbing the underlying nucleotide sequence. The changes occurring between DNA and its surrounding chromatin without altering its DNA sequence and leading to significant changes in the genome of any organism are called epigenetic changes. Epigenetics has already been used successfully to explain the mechanism of human pathogens and in the identification of pathogen-induced modifications within various host plants. Wheat rusts are one of the most vital fungal diseases throughout the major wheat-growing areas of the world. The epigenome in plant pathogens causing diseases such as wheat rusts is mysterious. The investigations of host and pathogen epigenetics in the wheat rusts system can offer a piece of suitable evidence for elucidation of the molecular basis of host-pathogen interaction. Besides, the information on the epigenetic regulation of the genes involved in resistance or pathogenicity will provide better insights into the complex resistance signaling pathways and could provide answers to certain key questions, such as whether epigenetic regulation of certain genes is imparting resistance to host in response of certain pathogen elicitors or not. In the last few years, there has been an upsurge in research on the host as well as pathogen epigenetics and its outcome in plant-pathogen interactions. This review summarizes the progress made in the areas related to the epigenetic control of host-pathogen interaction with particular emphasis on wheat rusts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajni Kant Thakur
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Regional Station, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, 171002, India
| | - Pramod Prasad
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Regional Station, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, 171002, India.
| | - S C Bhardwaj
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Regional Station, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, 171002, India.
| | - O P Gangwar
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Regional Station, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, 171002, India
| | - Subodh Kumar
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research, Regional Station, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, 171002, India
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25
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Luo F, Yu Z, Zhou Q, Huang A. Multi-Omics-Based Discovery of Plant Signaling Molecules. Metabolites 2022; 12:metabo12010076. [PMID: 35050197 PMCID: PMC8777911 DOI: 10.3390/metabo12010076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants produce numerous structurally and functionally diverse signaling metabolites, yet only relatively small fractions of which have been discovered. Multi-omics has greatly expedited the discovery as evidenced by increasing recent works reporting new plant signaling molecules and relevant functions via integrated multi-omics techniques. The effective application of multi-omics tools is the key to uncovering unknown plant signaling molecules. This review covers the features of multi-omics in the context of plant signaling metabolite discovery, highlighting how multi-omics addresses relevant aspects of the challenges as follows: (a) unknown functions of known metabolites; (b) unknown metabolites with known functions; (c) unknown metabolites and unknown functions. Based on the problem-oriented overview of the theoretical and application aspects of multi-omics, current limitations and future development of multi-omics in discovering plant signaling metabolites are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Qian Zhou
- Correspondence: (Q.Z.); (A.H.); Tel.: +86-755-8801-8496 (Q.Z. & A.H.)
| | - Ancheng Huang
- Correspondence: (Q.Z.); (A.H.); Tel.: +86-755-8801-8496 (Q.Z. & A.H.)
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26
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Mancia A. Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Protocol for Epigenetics Studies. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2498:19-41. [PMID: 35727538 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2313-8_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic modification are heritable changes in gene expression not encoded by the DNA sequence therefore playing a significant role in a broad range of biological processes and diseases.A key player of the epigenetic modifications is the DNA methylation, a process involving the covalent transfer of a methyl group to the C-5 position of the cytosine ring of DNA forming 5-methylcytosine (5mC), catalyzed by DNA methyltransferases. Altering the structure of the chromatin, DNA methylation has the potential to down-regulate gene expression.The here presented protocol shows a method to obtain DNA samples ready for NGS sequencing for genome-wide methylation analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalaura Mancia
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
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27
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Johnson KM, Sirovy KA, Kelly MW. Differential DNA methylation across environments has no effect on gene expression in the eastern oyster. J Anim Ecol 2021; 91:1135-1147. [PMID: 34882793 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
It has been hypothesized that environmentally induced changes to gene body methylation could facilitate adaptive transgenerational responses to changing environments. We compared patterns of global gene expression (Tag-seq) and gene body methylation (reduced representation bisulfite sequencing) in 80 eastern oysters Crassostrea virginica from six full-sib families, common gardened for 14 months at two sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico that differed in mean salinity. At the time of sampling, oysters from the two sites differed in mass by 60% and in parasite loads by nearly two orders of magnitude. They also differentially expressed 35% of measured transcripts. However, we observed differential methylation at only 1.4% of potentially methylated loci in comparisons between individuals from these different environments, and little correspondence between differential methylation and differential gene expression. Instead, methylation patterns were largely driven by genetic differences among families, with a PERMANOVA analysis indicating nearly a two orders of magnitude greater number of genes differentially methylated between families than between environments. An analysis of CpG observed/expected values (CpG O/E) across the C. virginica genome showed a distinct bimodal distribution, with genes from the first cluster showing the lower CpG O/E values, greater methylation and higher and more stable gene expression, while genes from the second cluster showed lower methylation, and lower and more variable gene expression. Taken together, the differential methylation results suggest that only a small portion of the C. virginica genome is affected by environmentally induced changes in methylation. At this point, there is little evidence to suggest that environmentally induced methylation states would play a leading role in regulating gene expression responses to new environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M Johnson
- Center for Coastal Marine Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA.,California Sea Grant, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kyle A Sirovy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Morgan W Kelly
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
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28
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Kanapeckaitė A, Burokienė N, Mažeikienė A, Cottrell GS, Widera D. Biophysics is reshaping our perception of the epigenome: from DNA-level to high-throughput studies. BIOPHYSICAL REPORTS 2021; 1:100028. [PMID: 36425454 PMCID: PMC9680810 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpr.2021.100028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic research holds great promise to advance our understanding of biomarkers and regulatory processes in health and disease. An increasing number of new approaches, ranging from molecular to biophysical analyses, enable identifying epigenetic changes on the level of a single gene or the whole epigenome. The aim of this review is to highlight how the field is shifting from completely molecular-biology-driven solutions to multidisciplinary strategies including more reliance on biophysical analysis tools. Biophysics not only offers technical advancements in imaging or structure analysis but also helps to explore regulatory interactions. New computational methods are also being developed to meet the demand of growing data volumes and their processing. Therefore, it is important to capture these new directions in epigenetics from a biophysical perspective and discuss current challenges as well as multiple applications of biophysical methods and tools. Specifically, we gradually introduce different biophysical research methods by first considering the DNA-level information and eventually higher-order chromatin structures. Moreover, we aim to highlight that the incorporation of bioinformatics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence into biophysical analysis allows gaining new insights into complex epigenetic processes. The gained understanding has already proven useful in translational and clinical research providing better patient stratification options or new therapeutic insights. Together, this offers a better readiness to transform bench-top experiments into industrial high-throughput applications with a possibility to employ developed methods in clinical practice and diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Austė Kanapeckaitė
- Algorithm379, Laisvės g. 7, LT 12007, Vilnius, Lithuania
- Reading School of Pharmacy, Whiteknights, Reading, UK, RG6 6UB
| | - Neringa Burokienė
- Clinics of Internal Diseases, Family Medicine and Oncology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, M. K. Čiurlionio str. 21/27, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Asta Mažeikienė
- Department of Physiology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, M. K. Čiurlionio str. 21/27, LT-03101 Vilnius, Lithuania
| | | | - Darius Widera
- Reading School of Pharmacy, Whiteknights, Reading, UK, RG6 6UB
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29
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Šrut M. Ecotoxicological epigenetics in invertebrates: Emerging tool for the evaluation of present and past pollution burden. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 282:131026. [PMID: 34111635 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The effect of environmental pollution on epigenetic changes and their heredity in affected organisms is of major concern as such changes can play a significant role in adaptation to changing environmental conditions. Changes of epigenetic marks including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA's can induce changes in gene transcription leading to physiological long-term changes or even transgenerational inheritance. Such mechanisms have until recently been scarcely studied in invertebrate organisms, mainly focusing on model species including Caenorhabditis elegans and Daphnia magna. However, more data are becoming available, particularly focused on DNA methylation changes caused by anthropogenic pollutants in a wide range of invertebrates. This review examines the literature from field and laboratory studies utilising invertebrate species exposed to environmental pollutants and their effect on DNA methylation. Possible mechanisms of epigenetic modifications and their role on physiology and adaptation as well as the incidence of intergenerational and transgenerational inheritance are discussed. Furthermore, critical research challenges are defined and the way forward is proposed. Future studies should focus on the use of next generation sequencing tools to define invertebrate methylomes under environmental stress in higher resolution, those data should further be linked to gene expression patterns and phenotypes and detailed studies focusing on transgenerational effects are encouraged. Moreover, studies of other epigenetic mechanisms in various invertebrate species, apart from DNA methylation would provide better understanding of interconnected cross-talk between epigenetic marks. Taken together incorporating epigenetic studies in ecotoxicology context presents a promising tool for development of sensitive biomarkers for environmental stress assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Šrut
- University of Innsbruck, Institute of Zoology, Technikerstraße 25, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria.
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30
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Trigg SA, Venkataraman YR, Gavery MR, Roberts SB, Bhattacharya D, Downey-Wall A, Eirin-Lopez JM, Johnson KM, Lotterhos KE, Puritz JB, Putnam HM. Invertebrate methylomes provide insight into mechanisms of environmental tolerance and reveal methodological biases. Mol Ecol Resour 2021; 22:1247-1261. [PMID: 34709728 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There is a growing focus on the role of DNA methylation in the ability of marine invertebrates to rapidly respond to changing environmental factors and anthropogenic impacts. However, genome-wide DNA methylation studies in nonmodel organisms are currently hampered by a limited understanding of methodological biases. Here, we compare three methods for quantifying DNA methylation at single base-pair resolution-whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS), reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS), and methyl-CpG binding domain bisulfite sequencing (MBDBS)-using multiple individuals from two reef-building coral species with contrasting environmental sensitivity. All methods reveal substantially greater methylation in Montipora capitata (11.4%) than the more sensitive Pocillopora acuta (2.9%). The majority of CpG methylation in both species occurs in gene bodies and flanking regions. In both species, MBDBS has the greatest capacity for detecting CpGs in coding regions at our sequencing depth, but MBDBS may be influenced by intrasample methylation heterogeneity. RRBS yields robust information for specific loci albeit without enrichment of any particular genome feature and with significantly reduced genome coverage. Relative genome size strongly influences the number and location of CpGs detected by each method when sequencing depth is limited, illuminating nuances in cross-species comparisons. As genome-wide methylation differences, supported by data across bisulfite sequencing methods, may contribute to environmental sensitivity phenotypes in critical marine invertebrate taxa, these data provide a genomic resource for investigating the functional role of DNA methylation in environmental tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelly A Trigg
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Yaamini R Venkataraman
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.,Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mackenzie R Gavery
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Steven B Roberts
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Debashish Bhattacharya
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Alan Downey-Wall
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University, Nahant, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jose M Eirin-Lopez
- Environmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Environment, Florida International University, North Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Kevin M Johnson
- Center for Coastal Marine Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, USA.,California Sea Grant, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Katie E Lotterhos
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Northeastern University, Nahant, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jonathan B Puritz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Hollie M Putnam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
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31
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Luviano N, Lopez M, Gawehns F, Chaparro C, Arimondo PB, Ivanovic S, David P, Verhoeven K, Cosseau C, Grunau C. The methylome of Biomphalaria glabrata and other mollusks: enduring modification of epigenetic landscape and phenotypic traits by a new DNA methylation inhibitor. Epigenetics Chromatin 2021; 14:48. [PMID: 34702322 PMCID: PMC8549274 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-021-00422-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND 5-Methylcytosine (5mC) is an important epigenetic mark in eukaryotes. Little information about its role exists for invertebrates. To investigate the contribution of 5mC to phenotypic variation in invertebrates, alteration of methylation patterns needs to be produced. Here, we apply new non-nucleoside DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMTi) to introduce aleatory changes into the methylome of mollusk species. RESULTS Flavanone inhibitor Flv1 was efficient in reducing 5mC in the freshwater snails Biomphalaria glabrata and Physa acuta, and to a lesser degree, probably due to lower stability in sea water, in the oyster Crassostrea gigas. Flv1 has no toxic effects and significantly decreased the 5mC level in the treated B. glabrata and in its offspring. Drug treatment triggers significant variation in the shell height in both generations. A reduced representation bisulfite-sequencing method called epiGBS corroborates hypomethylation effect of Flv1 in both B. glabrata generations and identifies seven Differential Methylated Regions (DMR) out of 32 found both in Flv1-exposed snails and its progeny, from which 5 were hypomethylated, demonstrating a multigenerational effect. By targeted bisulfite sequencing, we confirmed hypomethylation in a locus and show that it is associated with reduced gene expression. CONCLUSIONS Flv1 is a new and efficient DNMTi that can be used to induce transient and heritable modifications of the epigenetic landscape and phenotypic traits in mollusks, a phylum of the invertebrates in which epigenetics is understudied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nelia Luviano
- IHPE, Univ Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRC, Ifremer, Univ Montpellier, Perpignan, France
| | - Marie Lopez
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron (IBMM), UMR 5247, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, ENSCM, Montpellier, France
- Epigenetic Targeting of Cancer (ETaC), CNRS FRE3600, Centre de Recherche et Développement Pierre Fabre, Toulouse, France
| | - Fleur Gawehns
- Bioinformatics Unit, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Cristian Chaparro
- IHPE, Univ Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRC, Ifremer, Univ Montpellier, Perpignan, France
| | - Paola B Arimondo
- Epigenetic Targeting of Cancer (ETaC), CNRS FRE3600, Centre de Recherche et Développement Pierre Fabre, Toulouse, France
- Epigenetic Chemical Biology (EpiChBio), Department Structural Biology and Chemistry, UMR 3523, CNRS, Institute Pasteur, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Slavica Ivanovic
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Patrice David
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Univ. Montpellier, CNRS - Université Paul Valéry Montpellier - EPHE, 1919 Route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Koen Verhoeven
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Céline Cosseau
- IHPE, Univ Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRC, Ifremer, Univ Montpellier, Perpignan, France
| | - Christoph Grunau
- IHPE, Univ Perpignan Via Domitia, CNRC, Ifremer, Univ Montpellier, Perpignan, France.
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Mounger J, Boquete MT, Schmid MW, Granado R, Robertson MH, Voors SA, Langanke KL, Alvarez M, Wagemaker CAM, Schrey AW, Fox GA, Lewis DB, Lira CF, Richards CL. Inheritance of DNA methylation differences in the mangrove Rhizophora mangle. Evol Dev 2021; 23:351-374. [PMID: 34382741 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The capacity to respond to environmental challenges ultimately relies on phenotypic variation which manifests from complex interactions of genetic and nongenetic mechanisms through development. While we know something about genetic variation and structure of many species of conservation importance, we know very little about the nongenetic contributions to variation. Rhizophora mangle is a foundation species that occurs in coastal estuarine habitats throughout the neotropics where it provides critical ecosystem functions and is potentially threatened by anthropogenic environmental changes. Several studies have documented landscape-level patterns of genetic variation in this species, but we know virtually nothing about the inheritance of nongenetic variation. To assess one type of nongenetic variation, we examined the patterns of DNA sequence and DNA methylation in maternal plants and offspring from natural populations of R. mangle from the Gulf Coast of Florida. We used a reduced representation bisulfite sequencing approach (epi-genotyping by sequencing; epiGBS) to address the following questions: (a) What are the levels of genetic and epigenetic diversity in natural populations of R. mangle? (b) How are genetic and epigenetic variation structured within and among populations? (c) How faithfully is epigenetic variation inherited? We found low genetic diversity but high epigenetic diversity from natural populations of maternal plants in the field. In addition, a large portion (up to ~25%) of epigenetic differences among offspring grown in common garden was explained by maternal family. Therefore, epigenetic variation could be an important source of response to challenging environments in the genetically depauperate populations of this foundation species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeannie Mounger
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - M Teresa Boquete
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.,Department of Evolutionary Ecology, CSIC, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - Renan Granado
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.,Diretoria de Pesquisas, Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil
| | - Marta H Robertson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Sandy A Voors
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Kristen L Langanke
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Mariano Alvarez
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.,Avalo, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Aaron W Schrey
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Armstrong Campus, Savannah, Georgia, USA
| | - Gordon A Fox
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - David B Lewis
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Catarina Fonseca Lira
- Diretoria de Pesquisas, Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil
| | - Christina L Richards
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.,Plant Evolutionary Ecology, University of Tübingen, Institute of Evolution & Ecology, Tübingen, Germany
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McNew SM, Boquete MT, Espinoza‐Ulloa S, Andres JA, Wagemaker NCAM, Knutie SA, Richards CL, Clayton DH. Epigenetic effects of parasites and pesticides on captive and wild nestling birds. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:7713-7729. [PMID: 34188846 PMCID: PMC8216931 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic changes to the environment challenge animal populations to adapt to new conditions and unique threats. While the study of adaptation has focused on genetic variation, epigenetic mechanisms may also be important. DNA methylation is sensitive to environmental stressors, such as parasites and pesticides, which may affect gene expression and phenotype. We studied the effects of an invasive ectoparasite, Philornis downsi, on DNA methylation of Galápagos mockingbirds (Mimus parvulus). We used the insecticide permethrin to manipulate P. downsi presence in nests of free-living mockingbirds and tested for effects of parasitism on nestling mockingbirds using epiGBS, a reduced-representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) approach. To distinguish the confounding effects of insecticide exposure, we conducted a matching experiment exposing captive nestling zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to permethrin. We used zebra finches because they were the closest model organism to mockingbirds that we could breed in controlled conditions. We identified a limited number of differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs) in parasitized versus nonparasitized mockingbirds, but the number was not more than expected by chance. In contrast, we saw clear effects of permethrin on methylation in captive zebra finches. DMCs in zebra finches paralleled documented effects of permethrin exposure on vertebrate cellular signaling and endocrine function. Our results from captive birds indicate a role for epigenetic processes in mediating sublethal nontarget effects of pyrethroid exposure in vertebrates. Environmental conditions in the field were more variable than the laboratory, which may have made effects of both parasitism and permethrin harder to detect in mockingbirds. RRBS approaches such as epiGBS may be a cost-effective way to characterize genome-wide methylation profiles. However, our results indicate that ecological epigenetic studies in natural populations should consider the number of cytosines interrogated and the depth of sequencing in order to have adequate power to detect small and variable effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina M. McNew
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of UtahSalt Lake CityUTUSA
- Cornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
| | - M. Teresa Boquete
- Department of Integrative BiologyUniversity of South FloridaTampaFLUSA
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyEstación Biológica de DoñanaCSICSevillaSpain
| | - Sebastian Espinoza‐Ulloa
- Department of BiologyUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSKCanada
- Facultad de MedicinaPontifica Universidad Católica del EcuadorQuitoEcuador
| | - Jose A. Andres
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
- Department of BiologyUniversity of SaskatchewanSaskatoonSKCanada
| | | | - Sarah A. Knutie
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of UtahSalt Lake CityUTUSA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsCTUSA
- Institute for Systems GenomicsUniversity of ConnecticutStorrsCTUSA
| | | | - Dale H. Clayton
- School of Biological SciencesUniversity of UtahSalt Lake CityUTUSA
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Tan YL, Chen H, Wu ZK, He J, Jiang JH. Digital Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification-Based Absolute Methylation Quantification Revealed Hypermethylated DAPK1 in Cervical Cancer Patients. Anal Chem 2021; 93:8077-8083. [PMID: 34019386 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c01510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The aberrant methylation of many genes has been reported to be associated with various carcinomas. Accurate detection of the methylation level could provide critical insights into the diagnostic analysis of diseases. Here, a sensitive HpaII-edited absolute droplet loop-mediated isothermal amplification (HEADLAMP) method based on methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme (MSRE) HpaII was developed for the digital quantification of DNA methylation. Methylation levels of the death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) gene that is associated with many cancers were studied using β-actin as an internal reference. DAPK1 (2.5 pM) with 0.01% methylation (250 aM) can be detected with the conventional HpaII-edited LAMP assay. Using HEADLAMP, as low as 1% methylation level can be distinguished with an estimated limit of detection of 5 aM (ca. 3 copies/μL). Moreover, HEADLAMP can detect low levels of methylated DAPK1 in normal L-02 cells, while the conventional assay cannot. Finally, HEADLAMP was applied to the detection of DAPK1 methylation in 20 clinical tissue samples, which revealed hypermethylated DAPK1 in cervical cancer patients. We envisage potential applications of this robust, specific, and sensitive HEADLAMP assay in epigenetic studies and early clinical diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Ling Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/BioSensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Hongjian Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/BioSensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Zhen-Kun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/BioSensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Jianjun He
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/BioSensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
| | - Jian-Hui Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/BioSensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
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Boquete MT, Muyle A, Alonso C. Plant epigenetics: phenotypic and functional diversity beyond the DNA sequence. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2021; 108:553-558. [PMID: 33887061 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Phenotypic variation determines the capacity of plants to adapt to changing environments and to colonize new habitats. Deciphering the mechanisms contributing to plant phenotypic variation and their effects on plant ecological interactions and evolutionary dynamics is thus central to all biological disciplines. In the past few decades, research on plant epigenetics is showing that (1) epigenetic variation is related to phenotypic variation and that some epigenetic marks drive major phenotypic changes in plants; (2) plant epigenomes are highly diverse, dynamic, and can respond rapidly to a variety of biotic and abiotic stimuli; (3) epigenetic variation can respond to selection and therefore play a role in adaptive evolution. Yet, current information in terms of species, geographic ranges, and ecological contexts analyzed so far is too limited to allow for generalizations about the relevance of epigenetic regulation in phenotypic innovation and plant adaptation across taxa. In this report, we contextualize the potential role of the epigenome in plant adaptation to the environment and describe the latest research in this field presented during the symposium "Plant epigenetics: phenotypic and functional diversity beyond the DNA sequence" held within the Botany 2020 conference framework in summer 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Teresa Boquete
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Aline Muyle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UC Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Conchita Alonso
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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36
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The Genetic Component of Seagrass Restoration: What We Know and the Way Forwards. WATER 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/w13060829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Seagrasses are marine flowering plants providing key ecological services and functions in coasts and estuaries across the globe. Increased environmental changes fueled by human activities are affecting their existence, compromising natural habitats and ecosystems’ biodiversity and functioning. In this context, restoration of disturbed seagrass environments has become a worldwide priority to reverse ecosystem degradation and to recover ecosystem functionality and associated services. Despite the proven importance of genetic research to perform successful restoration projects, this aspect has often been overlooked in seagrass restoration. Here, we aimed to provide a comprehensive perspective of genetic aspects related to seagrass restoration. To this end, we first reviewed the importance of studying the genetic diversity and population structure of target seagrass populations; then, we discussed the pros and cons of different approaches used to restore and/or reinforce degraded populations. In general, the collection of genetic information and the development of connectivity maps are critical steps for any seagrass restoration activity. Traditionally, the selection of donor population preferred the use of local gene pools, thought to be the best adapted to current conditions. However, in the face of rapid ocean changes, alternative approaches such as the use of climate-adjusted or admixture genotypes might provide more sustainable options to secure the survival of restored meadows. Also, we discussed different transplantation strategies applied in seagrasses and emphasized the importance of long-term seagrass monitoring in restoration. The newly developed information on epigenetics as well as the application of assisted evolution strategies were also explored. Finally, a view of legal and ethical issues related to national and international restoration management is included, highlighting improvements and potential new directions to integrate with the genetic assessment. We concluded that a good restoration effort should incorporate: (1) a good understanding of the genetic structure of both donors and populations being restored; (2) the analysis of local environmental conditions and disturbances that affect the site to be restored; (3) the analysis of local adaptation constraints influencing the performances of donor populations and native plants; (4) the integration of distribution/connectivity maps with genetic information and environmental factors relative to the target seagrass populations; (5) the planning of long-term monitoring programs to assess the performance of the restored populations. The inclusion of epigenetic knowledge and the development of assisted evolution programs are strongly hoped for the future.
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Krick MV, Desmarais E, Samaras A, Guéret E, Dimitroglou A, Pavlidis M, Tsigenopoulos C, Guinand B. Family-effects in the epigenomic response of red blood cells to a challenge test in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, L.). BMC Genomics 2021; 22:111. [PMID: 33563212 PMCID: PMC7871408 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07420-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract Background In fish, minimally invasive blood sampling is widely used to monitor physiological stress with blood plasma biomarkers. As fish blood cells are nucleated, they might be a source a potential new markers derived from ‘omics technologies. We modified the epiGBS (epiGenotyping By Sequencing) technique to explore changes in genome-wide cytosine methylation in the red blood cells (RBCs) of challenged European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), a species widely studied in both natural and farmed environments. Results We retrieved 501,108,033 sequencing reads after trimming, with a mean mapping efficiency of 73.0% (unique best hits). Minor changes in RBC methylome appeared to manifest after the challenge test and a family-effect was detected. Only fifty-seven differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs) close to 51 distinct genes distributed on 17 of 24 linkage groups (LGs) were detected between RBCs of pre- and post-challenge individuals. Thirty-seven of these genes were previously reported as differentially expressed in the brain of zebrafish, most of them involved in stress coping differences. While further investigation remains necessary, few DMC-related genes associated to the Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor, a protein that favors stress adaptation and fear memory, appear relevant to integrate a centrally produced stress response in RBCs. Conclusion Our modified epiGBS protocol was powerful to analyze patterns of cytosine methylation in RBCs of D. labrax and to evaluate the impact of a challenge using minimally invasive blood samples. This study is the first approximation to identify epigenetic biomarkers of exposure to stress in fish. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07420-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madoka Vera Krick
- UMR UM CNRS IRD EPHE ISEM- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Erick Desmarais
- UMR UM CNRS IRD EPHE ISEM- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Elise Guéret
- UMR UM CNRS IRD EPHE ISEM- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France.,Montpellier GenomiX, France Génomique, Montpellier, France
| | | | - Michalis Pavlidis
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, 70013, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Costas Tsigenopoulos
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture (IMBBC), 715 00, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Bruno Guinand
- UMR UM CNRS IRD EPHE ISEM- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
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38
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Mouginot P, Luviano Aparicio N, Gourcilleau D, Latutrie M, Marin S, Hemptinne JL, Grunau C, Pujol B. Phenotypic Response to Light Versus Shade Associated with DNA Methylation Changes in Snapdragon Plants ( Antirrhinum majus). Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:227. [PMID: 33557416 PMCID: PMC7914928 DOI: 10.3390/genes12020227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The phenotypic plasticity of plants in response to change in their light environment, and in particularly, to shade is a schoolbook example of ecologically relevant phenotypic plasticity with evolutionary adaptive implications. Epigenetic variation is known to potentially underlie plant phenotypic plasticity. Yet, little is known about its role in ecologically and evolutionary relevant mechanisms shaping the diversity of plant populations in nature. Here we used a reference-free reduced representation bisulfite sequencing method for non-model organisms (epiGBS) to investigate changes in DNA methylation patterns across the genome in snapdragon plants (Antirrhinum majus L.). We exposed plants to sunlight versus artificially induced shade in four highly inbred lines to exclude genetic confounding effects. Our results showed that phenotypic plasticity in response to light versus shade shaped vegetative traits. They also showed that DNA methylation patterns were modified under light versus shade, with a trend towards global effects over the genome but with large effects found on a restricted portion. We also detected the existence of a correlation between phenotypic and epigenetic variation that neither supported nor rejected its potential role in plasticity. While our findings imply epigenetic changes in response to light versus shade environments in snapdragon plants, whether these changes are directly involved in the phenotypic plastic response of plants remains to be investigated. Our approach contributed to this new finding but illustrates the limits in terms of sample size and statistical power of population epigenetic approaches in non-model organisms. Pushing this boundary will be necessary before the relationship between environmentally induced epigenetic changes and phenotypic plasticity is clarified for ecologically relevant mechanisms with evolutionary implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierick Mouginot
- PSL Université Paris: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, CEDEX 9, 66860 Perpignan, France; (P.M.); (M.L.); (S.M.)
| | - Nelia Luviano Aparicio
- Université Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, UPVD, Interactions Hôtes Pathogènes Environnements (IHPE), 66860 Perpignan, France; (N.L.A.); (C.G.)
| | - Delphine Gourcilleau
- Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB, UMR 5174), Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, IRD, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, Bat 4R1, CEDEX 9, 31062 Toulouse, France; (D.G.); (J.-L.H.)
| | - Mathieu Latutrie
- PSL Université Paris: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, CEDEX 9, 66860 Perpignan, France; (P.M.); (M.L.); (S.M.)
| | - Sara Marin
- PSL Université Paris: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, CEDEX 9, 66860 Perpignan, France; (P.M.); (M.L.); (S.M.)
| | - Jean-Louis Hemptinne
- Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB, UMR 5174), Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, IRD, UPS, 118 route de Narbonne, Bat 4R1, CEDEX 9, 31062 Toulouse, France; (D.G.); (J.-L.H.)
| | - Christoph Grunau
- Université Montpellier, CNRS, IFREMER, UPVD, Interactions Hôtes Pathogènes Environnements (IHPE), 66860 Perpignan, France; (N.L.A.); (C.G.)
| | - Benoit Pujol
- PSL Université Paris: EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, Université de Perpignan, 52 Avenue Paul Alduy, CEDEX 9, 66860 Perpignan, France; (P.M.); (M.L.); (S.M.)
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Fargeot L, Loot G, Prunier JG, Rey O, Veyssière C, Blanchet S. Patterns of Epigenetic Diversity in Two Sympatric Fish Species: Genetic vs. Environmental Determinants. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:107. [PMID: 33467145 PMCID: PMC7830833 DOI: 10.3390/genes12010107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic components are hypothesized to be sensitive to the environment, which should permit species to adapt to environmental changes. In wild populations, epigenetic variation should therefore be mainly driven by environmental variation. Here, we tested whether epigenetic variation (DNA methylation) observed in wild populations is related to their genetic background, and/or to the local environment. Focusing on two sympatric freshwater fish species (Gobio occitaniae and Phoxinus phoxinus), we tested the relationships between epigenetic differentiation, genetic differentiation (using microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers), and environmental distances between sites. We identify positive relationships between pairwise genetic and epigenetic distances in both species. Moreover, epigenetic marks better discriminated populations than genetic markers, especially in G. occitaniae. In G. occitaniae, both pairwise epigenetic and genetic distances were significantly associated to environmental distances between sites. Nonetheless, when controlling for genetic differentiation, the link between epigenetic differentiation and environmental distances was not significant anymore, indicating a noncausal relationship. Our results suggest that fish epigenetic variation is mainly genetically determined and that the environment weakly contributed to epigenetic variation. We advocate the need to control for the genetic background of populations when inferring causal links between epigenetic variation and environmental heterogeneity in wild populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Fargeot
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paul Sabatier (UPS), Station d’Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UMR 5321, F-09200 Moulis, France;
| | - Géraldine Loot
- CNRS, UPS, École Nationale de Formation Agronomique (ENFA), UMR 5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse CEDEX 4, France; (G.L.); (C.V.)
- Université Paul Sabatier (UPS), Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), F-75231 Paris CEDEX 05, France
| | - Jérôme G. Prunier
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paul Sabatier (UPS), Station d’Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UMR 5321, F-09200 Moulis, France;
| | - Olivier Rey
- CNRS, Interaction Hôtes-Parasites-Environnements (IHPE), UMR 5244, F-66860 Perpignan, France;
| | - Charlotte Veyssière
- CNRS, UPS, École Nationale de Formation Agronomique (ENFA), UMR 5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse CEDEX 4, France; (G.L.); (C.V.)
| | - Simon Blanchet
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paul Sabatier (UPS), Station d’Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UMR 5321, F-09200 Moulis, France;
- CNRS, UPS, École Nationale de Formation Agronomique (ENFA), UMR 5174 EDB (Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique), 118 route de Narbonne, F-31062 Toulouse CEDEX 4, France; (G.L.); (C.V.)
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Undin M, Lockhart PJ, Hills SFK, Castro I. Genetic Rescue and the Plight of Ponui Hybrids. FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2020.622191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-term sustainable and resilient populations is a key goal of conservation. How to best achieve this is controversial. There are, for instance, polarized views concerning the fitness and conservation value of hybrid populations founded through multi-origin translocations. A classic example concerns Apteryx (kiwi) in New Zealand. The A. mantelli of Ponui Island constitute a hybrid population where the birds are highly successful in their island habitat. A key dilemma for managers is understanding the reason for this success. Are the hybrid birds of Ponui Island of “no future conservation value” as recently asserted, or do they represent an outstanding example of genetic rescue and an important resource for future translocations? There has been a paradigm shift in scientific thinking concerning hybrids, but the ecological significance of admixed genomes remains difficult to assess. This limits what we can currently predict in conservation science. New understanding from genome science challenges the sufficiency of population genetic models to inform decision making and suggests instead that the contrasting outcomes of hybridization, “outbreeding depression” and “heterosis,” require understanding additional factors that modulate gene and protein expression and how these factors are influenced by the environment. We discuss these findings and the investigations that might help us to better understand the birds of Ponui, inform conservation management of kiwi and provide insight relevant for the future survival of Apteryx.
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García-García I, Méndez-Cea B, Martín-Gálvez D, Seco JI, Gallego FJ, Linares JC. Challenges and Perspectives in the Epigenetics of Climate Change-Induced Forests Decline. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:797958. [PMID: 35058957 PMCID: PMC8764141 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.797958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Forest tree species are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. As sessile organisms with long generation times, their adaptation to a local changing environment may rely on epigenetic modifications when allele frequencies are not able to shift fast enough. However, the current lack of knowledge on this field is remarkable, due to many challenges that researchers face when studying this issue. Huge genome sizes, absence of reference genomes and annotation, and having to analyze huge amounts of data are among these difficulties, which limit the current ability to understand how climate change drives tree species epigenetic modifications. In spite of this challenging framework, some insights on the relationships among climate change-induced stress and epigenomics are coming. Advances in DNA sequencing technologies and an increasing number of studies dealing with this topic must boost our knowledge on tree adaptive capacity to changing environmental conditions. Here, we discuss challenges and perspectives in the epigenetics of climate change-induced forests decline, aiming to provide a general overview of the state of the art.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel García-García
- Departamento de Genética, Fisiología y Microbiología, UD Genética, Facultad de CC Biológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Isabel García-García,
| | - Belén Méndez-Cea
- Departamento de Genética, Fisiología y Microbiología, UD Genética, Facultad de CC Biológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Belén Méndez-Cea,
| | - David Martín-Gálvez
- Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, UD Zoología, Facultad de CC Biológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Ignacio Seco
- Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
| | - Francisco Javier Gallego
- Departamento de Genética, Fisiología y Microbiología, UD Genética, Facultad de CC Biológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Linares
- Departamento de Sistemas Físicos, Químicos y Naturales, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
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García-Gómez BE, Salazar JA, Nicolás-Almansa M, Razi M, Rubio M, Ruiz D, Martínez-Gómez P. Molecular Bases of Fruit Quality in Prunus Species: An Integrated Genomic, Transcriptomic, and Metabolic Review with a Breeding Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 22:E333. [PMID: 33396946 PMCID: PMC7794732 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22010333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In plants, fruit ripening is a coordinated developmental process that requires the change in expression of hundreds to thousands of genes to modify many biochemical and physiological signal cascades such as carbohydrate and organic acid metabolism, cell wall restructuring, ethylene production, stress response, and organoleptic compound formation. In Prunus species (including peaches, apricots, plums, and cherries), fruit ripening leads to the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into sugars, fruit firmness reductions (softening by cell wall degradation and cuticle properties alteration), color changes (loss of green color by chlorophylls degradation and increase in non-photosynthetic pigments like anthocyanins and carotenoids), acidity decreases, and aroma increases (the production and release of organic volatile compounds). Actually, the level of information of molecular events at the transcriptional, biochemical, hormonal, and metabolite levels underlying ripening in Prunus fruits has increased considerably. However, we still poorly understand the molecular switch that occurs during the transition from unripe to ripe fruits. The objective of this review was to analyze of the molecular bases of fruit quality in Prunus species through an integrated metabolic, genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenetic approach to better understand the molecular switch involved in the ripening process with important consequences from a breeding point of view.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz E. García-Gómez
- Department of Plant Breeding, CEBAS-CSIC, P.O. Box 164, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (B.E.G.-G.); (J.A.S.); (M.N.-A.); (M.R.); (D.R.)
| | - Juan A. Salazar
- Department of Plant Breeding, CEBAS-CSIC, P.O. Box 164, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (B.E.G.-G.); (J.A.S.); (M.N.-A.); (M.R.); (D.R.)
| | - María Nicolás-Almansa
- Department of Plant Breeding, CEBAS-CSIC, P.O. Box 164, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (B.E.G.-G.); (J.A.S.); (M.N.-A.); (M.R.); (D.R.)
| | - Mitra Razi
- Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zajan, Zanjan 45371-38791, Iran;
| | - Manuel Rubio
- Department of Plant Breeding, CEBAS-CSIC, P.O. Box 164, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (B.E.G.-G.); (J.A.S.); (M.N.-A.); (M.R.); (D.R.)
| | - David Ruiz
- Department of Plant Breeding, CEBAS-CSIC, P.O. Box 164, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (B.E.G.-G.); (J.A.S.); (M.N.-A.); (M.R.); (D.R.)
| | - Pedro Martínez-Gómez
- Department of Plant Breeding, CEBAS-CSIC, P.O. Box 164, 30100 Murcia, Spain; (B.E.G.-G.); (J.A.S.); (M.N.-A.); (M.R.); (D.R.)
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Quantitative Epigenetics: A New Avenue for Crop Improvement. EPIGENOMES 2020; 4:epigenomes4040025. [PMID: 34968304 PMCID: PMC8594725 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes4040025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant breeding conventionally depends on genetic variability available in a species to improve a particular trait in the crop. However, epigenetic diversity may provide an additional tier of variation. The recent advent of epigenome technologies has elucidated the role of epigenetic variation in shaping phenotype. Furthermore, the development of epigenetic recombinant inbred lines (epi-RILs) in model species such as Arabidopsis has enabled accurate genetic analysis of epigenetic variation. Subsequently, mapping of epigenetic quantitative trait loci (epiQTL) allowed association between epialleles and phenotypic traits. Likewise, epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) and epi-genotyping by sequencing (epi-GBS) have revolutionized the field of epigenetics research in plants. Thus, quantitative epigenetics provides ample opportunities to dissect the role of epigenetic variation in trait regulation, which can be eventually utilized in crop improvement programs. Moreover, locus-specific manipulation of DNA methylation by epigenome-editing tools such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) can potentially facilitate epigenetic based molecular breeding of important crop plants.
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Malinowska M, Nagy I, Wagemaker CAM, Ruud AK, Svane SF, Thorup-Kristensen K, Jensen CS, Eriksen B, Krusell L, Jahoor A, Jensen J, Eriksen LB, Asp T. The cytosine methylation landscape of spring barley revealed by a new reduced representation bisulfite sequencing pipeline, WellMeth. THE PLANT GENOME 2020; 13:e20049. [PMID: 33217208 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Patterns and level of cytosine methylation vary widely among plant species and are associated with genome size as well as the proportion of transposons and other repetitive elements in the genome. We explored epigenetic patterns and diversity in a representative proportion of the spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genome across several commercial and historical cultivars. This study adapted a genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach for the detection of methylated cytosines in genomic DNA. To analyze the data, we developed WellMeth, a complete pipeline for analysis of reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. WellMeth enabled quantification of context-specific DNA methylation at the single-base resolution as well as identification of differentially methylated sites (DMCs) and regions (DMRs). On average, DNA methylation levels were significantly higher than what is commonly observed in many plants species, reaching over 10-fold higher levels than those in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. in the CHH methylation. Preferential methylation was observed within and at the edges of long-terminal repeats (LTR) retrotransposons Gypsy and Copia. From a pairwise comparison of cultivars, numerous DMRs could be identified of which more than 5,000 were conserved within the analyzed set of barley cultivars. The subset of regions overlapping with genes showed enrichment in gene ontology (GO) categories associated with chromatin and cellular structure and organization. A significant correlation between genetic and epigenetic distances suggests that a considerable portion of methylated regions is under strict genetic control in barley. The data presented herein represents the first step in efforts toward a better understanding of genome-level structural and functional aspects of methylation in barley.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Malinowska
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark
- Center for Quantitative Genetics & Genomics, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark
| | - Istvan Nagy
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark
- Center for Quantitative Genetics & Genomics, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark
| | | | - Anja K Ruud
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark
- Center for Quantitative Genetics & Genomics, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark
| | - Simon F Svane
- Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lars Bonde Eriksen
- Landbrug & Fødevarer, SEGES, Aarhus, Denmark
- LIMAGRAIN A/S, Horsens, Denmark
| | - Torben Asp
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark
- Center for Quantitative Genetics & Genomics, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark
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Shahryary Y, Symeonidi A, Hazarika RR, Denkena J, Mubeen T, Hofmeister B, van Gurp T, Colomé-Tatché M, Verhoeven KJ, Tuskan G, Schmitz RJ, Johannes F. AlphaBeta: computational inference of epimutation rates and spectra from high-throughput DNA methylation data in plants. Genome Biol 2020; 21:260. [PMID: 33023650 PMCID: PMC7539454 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-020-02161-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Stochastic changes in DNA methylation (i.e., spontaneous epimutations) contribute to methylome diversity in plants. Here, we describe AlphaBeta, a computational method for estimating the precise rate of such stochastic events using pedigree-based DNA methylation data as input. We demonstrate how AlphaBeta can be employed to study transgenerationally heritable epimutations in clonal or sexually derived mutation accumulation lines, as well as somatic epimutations in long-lived perennials. Application of our method to published and new data reveals that spontaneous epimutations accumulate neutrally at the genome-wide scale, originate mainly during somatic development and that they can be used as a molecular clock for age-dating trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yadollah Shahryary
- Technical University of Munich, Department of Plant Sciences, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 2, Freising, 85354 Germany
- Technical University of Munich, Institute for Advanced Study, Lichtenbergstr. 2a, Garching, 85748 Germany
| | - Aikaterini Symeonidi
- Technical University of Munich, Department of Plant Sciences, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 2, Freising, 85354 Germany
| | - Rashmi R. Hazarika
- Technical University of Munich, Department of Plant Sciences, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 2, Freising, 85354 Germany
- Technical University of Munich, Institute for Advanced Study, Lichtenbergstr. 2a, Garching, 85748 Germany
| | - Johanna Denkena
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, Neuherberg, 85764 Germany
| | - Talha Mubeen
- Technical University of Munich, Department of Plant Sciences, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 2, Freising, 85354 Germany
- Technical University of Munich, Institute for Advanced Study, Lichtenbergstr. 2a, Garching, 85748 Germany
| | | | - Thomas van Gurp
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Wageningen, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maria Colomé-Tatché
- Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, Neuherberg, 85764 Germany
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, University Medical Centre Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, Groningen, 9713 AV Netherlands
- TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Emil-Erlenmeyer-Forum 2, Freising, 85354 Germany
| | - Koen J.F. Verhoeven
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Wageningen, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gerald Tuskan
- The Center for Bioenergy Innovation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, USA
| | - Robert J. Schmitz
- Technical University of Munich, Institute for Advanced Study, Lichtenbergstr. 2a, Garching, 85748 Germany
- Department of Genetics, The University of Georgia, 120 East Green Street, Athens, 30602 USA
| | - Frank Johannes
- Technical University of Munich, Department of Plant Sciences, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 2, Freising, 85354 Germany
- Technical University of Munich, Institute for Advanced Study, Lichtenbergstr. 2a, Garching, 85748 Germany
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Genitoni J, Vassaux D, Delaunay A, Citerne S, Portillo Lemus L, Etienne MP, Renault D, Stoeckel S, Barloy D, Maury S. Hypomethylation of the aquatic invasive plant, Ludwigia grandiflora subsp. hexapetala mimics the adaptive transition into the terrestrial morphotype. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2020; 170:280-298. [PMID: 32623739 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Ongoing global changes affect ecosystems and open up new opportunities for biological invasion. The ability of invasive species to rapidly adapt to new environments represents a relevant model for studying short-term adaptation mechanisms. The aquatic invasive plant, Ludwigia grandiflora subsp. hexapetala, is classified as harmful in European rivers. In French wet meadows, this species has shown a rapid transition from aquatic to terrestrial environments with emergence of two distinct morphotypes in 5 years. To understand the heritable mechanisms involved in adjustment to such a new environment, we investigate both genetic and epigenetic as possible sources of flexibility involved in this fast terrestrial transition. We found a low overall genetic differentiation between the two morphotypes arguing against the possibility that terrestrial morphotype emerged from a new adaptive genetic capacity. Artificial hypomethylation was induced on both morphotypes to assess the epigenetic hypothesis. We analyzed global DNA methylation, morphological changes, phytohormones and metabolite profiles of both morphotype responses in both aquatic and terrestrial conditions in shoot and root tissues. Hypomethylation significantly affected morphological variables, phytohormone levels and the amount of some metabolites. The effects of hypomethylation depended on morphotypes, conditions and plant tissues, which highlighted differences among the morphotypes and their plasticity. Using a correlative integrative approach, we showed that hypomethylation of the aquatic morphotype mimicked the characteristics of the terrestrial morphotype. Our data suggest that DNA methylation rather than a new adaptive genetic capacity is playing a key role in L. grandiflora subsp. hexapetala plasticity during its rapid aquatic to terrestrial transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Genitoni
- ESE, Ecology and Ecosystem Health, Institut Agro, INRAE, Rennes, 35042, France
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Ligneux et des Grandes Cultures (LBLGC), EA1207 USC1328 INRA, Université d'Orléans, Orléans, 45067, France
| | - Danièle Vassaux
- ESE, Ecology and Ecosystem Health, Institut Agro, INRAE, Rennes, 35042, France
| | - Alain Delaunay
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Ligneux et des Grandes Cultures (LBLGC), EA1207 USC1328 INRA, Université d'Orléans, Orléans, 45067, France
| | - Sylvie Citerne
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Versailles, 78000, France
| | - Luis Portillo Lemus
- ESE, Ecology and Ecosystem Health, Institut Agro, INRAE, Rennes, 35042, France
| | - Marie-Pierre Etienne
- Institut Agro, CNRS, Université Rennes, IRMAR (Institut de Recherche Mathématique de Rennes) - UMR 6625, Rennes, F-35000, France
| | - David Renault
- UMR CNRS 6553 EcoBio, University of Rennes 1, Rennes, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, 1 rue Descartes, Paris, France
| | - Solenn Stoeckel
- IGEPP, INRAE, Institut Agro, Université Rennes, Le Rheu, 35653, France
| | - Dominique Barloy
- ESE, Ecology and Ecosystem Health, Institut Agro, INRAE, Rennes, 35042, France
| | - Stéphane Maury
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Ligneux et des Grandes Cultures (LBLGC), EA1207 USC1328 INRA, Université d'Orléans, Orléans, 45067, France
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De Long JR, Heinen R, Jongen R, Hannula SE, Huberty M, Kielak AM, Steinauer K, Bezemer TM. How plant–soil feedbacks influence the next generation of plants. Ecol Res 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1440-1703.12165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R. De Long
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology Wageningen The Netherlands
- Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture Bleiswijk The Netherlands
| | - Robin Heinen
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology Wageningen The Netherlands
- Institute of Biology, Section Plant Ecology and Phytochemistry Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
- Lehrstuhl fur Terrestrische Okologie, Landnutzung und Umwelt Technische Universitat Munchen, Wissenschaftszentrum Weihenstephan fur Ernahrung Freising Germany
| | - Renske Jongen
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - S. Emilia Hannula
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Martine Huberty
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology Wageningen The Netherlands
- Institute of Biology, Section Plant Ecology and Phytochemistry Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
| | - Anna M. Kielak
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - Katja Steinauer
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology Wageningen The Netherlands
| | - T. Martijn Bezemer
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology Wageningen The Netherlands
- Institute of Biology, Section Plant Ecology and Phytochemistry Leiden University Leiden The Netherlands
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Hwang SH, Yeom H, Han BI, Ham BJ, Lee YM, Han MR, Lee M. Predicting Carcinogenic Mechanisms of Non-Genotoxic Carcinogens via Combined Analysis of Global DNA Methylation and In Vitro Cell Transformation. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21155387. [PMID: 32751172 PMCID: PMC7432388 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An in vitro cell transformation assay (CTA) is useful for the detection of non-genotoxic carcinogens (NGTXCs); however, it does not provide information on their modes of action. In this study, to pursue a mechanism-based approach in the risk assessment of NGTXCs, we aimed to develop an integrated strategy comprising an in vitro Bhas 42 CTA and global DNA methylation analysis. For this purpose, 10 NGTXCs, which were also predicted to be negative through Derek/Sarah structure-activity relationship analysis, were first tested for transforming activity in Bhas 42 cells. Methylation profiles using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing were generated for seven NGTXCs that were positive in CTAs. In general, the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) within promoter regions showed slightly more bias toward hypermethylation than the DMRs across the whole genome. We also identified 13 genes associated with overlapping DMRs within the promoter regions in four NGTXCs, of which seven were hypermethylated and six were hypomethylated. Using ingenuity pathway analysis, the genes with DMRs at the CpG sites were found to be enriched in cancer-related categories, including "cell-to-cell signaling and interaction" as well as "cell death and survival". Moreover, the networks related to "cell death and survival", which were considered to be associated with carcinogenesis, were identified in six NGTXCs. These results suggest that epigenetic changes supporting cell transformation processes occur during non-genotoxic carcinogenesis. Taken together, our combined system can become an attractive component for an integrated approach for the testing and assessment of NGTXCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Hee Hwang
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea; (S.-H.H.); (H.Y.)
| | - Hojin Yeom
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea; (S.-H.H.); (H.Y.)
| | - Byeal-I Han
- Institute for New Drug Development, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea;
| | - Byung-Joo Ham
- Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul 02841, Korea;
| | - Yong-Moon Lee
- College of Pharmacy and Medical Research Center, Chungbuk National University, Cheoungju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do 28160, Korea;
| | - Mi-Ryung Han
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea; (S.-H.H.); (H.Y.)
- Institute for New Drug Development, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea;
- INU Human Genome Center, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea
- Correspondence: (M.-R.H.); (M.L.); Tel.: +82-32-835-8247 (M.L.)
| | - Michael Lee
- Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea; (S.-H.H.); (H.Y.)
- Institute for New Drug Development, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea;
- INU Human Genome Center, Incheon National University, Incheon 22012, Korea
- Correspondence: (M.-R.H.); (M.L.); Tel.: +82-32-835-8247 (M.L.)
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49
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Werner O, Prudencio ÁS, de la Cruz-Martínez E, Nieto-Lugilde M, Martínez-Gómez P, Ros RM. A Cost Reduced Variant of Epi-Genotyping by Sequencing for Studying DNA Methylation in Non-model Organisms. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:694. [PMID: 32547585 PMCID: PMC7270828 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Reference-free reduced representation bisulfite sequencing uses enzymatic digestion for reducing genome complexity and allows detection of markers to study DNA methylation of a high number of individuals in natural populations of non-model organisms. Current methods like epiGBS enquire the use of a higher number of methylated DNA oligos with a significant cost (especially for small labs and first pilot studies). In this paper, we present a modification of this epiGBS protocol that requires the use of only one hemimethylated P2 (common) adapter, which is combined with unmethylated barcoded adapters. The unmethylated cytosines of one chain of the barcoded adapter are replaced by methylated cytosines using nick translation with methylated cytosines in dNTP solution. The basic version of our technique uses only one restriction enzyme, and as a result, genomic fragments are integrated into two orientations with respect to the adapter sequences. Comparing the sequences of two chain orientations makes it possible to reconstruct the original sequence before bisulfite treatment with the help of standard software and newly developed software written in C and described here. We provide a proof of concept via data obtained from almond (Prunus dulcis). Example data and a detailed description of the complete software pipeline starting from the raw reads up until the final differentially methylated cytosines are given in Supplementary Material making this technique accessible to non-expert computer users. The adapter design showed in this paper should allow the use of a two restriction enzyme approach with minor changes in software parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olaf Werner
- Laboratory of Molecular Systematics, Phylogeography and Conservation in Bryophytes, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Ángela S. Prudencio
- Laboratory of Fruit Tree Breeding, Department of Plant Breeding, CEBAS-CSIC, Murcia, Spain
| | - Elena de la Cruz-Martínez
- Laboratory of Molecular Systematics, Phylogeography and Conservation in Bryophytes, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Marta Nieto-Lugilde
- Laboratory of Molecular Systematics, Phylogeography and Conservation in Bryophytes, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Pedro Martínez-Gómez
- Laboratory of Fruit Tree Breeding, Department of Plant Breeding, CEBAS-CSIC, Murcia, Spain
| | - Rosa M. Ros
- Laboratory of Molecular Systematics, Phylogeography and Conservation in Bryophytes, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
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50
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Johnson KM, Kelly MW. Population epigenetic divergence exceeds genetic divergence in the Eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. Evol Appl 2020; 13:945-959. [PMID: 32431745 PMCID: PMC7232765 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Populations may respond to environmental heterogeneity via evolutionary divergence or phenotypic plasticity. While evolutionary divergence occurs through DNA sequence differences among populations, plastic divergence among populations may be generated by changes in the epigenome. Here, we present the results of a genome-wide comparison of DNA methylation patterns and genetic structure among four populations of Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) in the northern Gulf of Mexico. We used a combination of restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) and reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) to explore population structure, gene-wide averages of F ST, and DNA methylation differences between oysters inhabiting four estuaries with unique salinity profiles. This approach identified significant population structure despite a moderately low F ST (0.02) across the freshwater boundary of the Mississippi river, a finding that may reflect recent efforts to restore oyster stock populations. Divergence between populations in CpG methylation was greater than for divergence in F ST, likely reflecting environmental effects on DNA methylation patterns. Assessment of CpG methylation patterns across all populations identified that only 26% of methylated DNA was intergenic; and, only 17% of all differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were within these same regions. DMRs within gene bodies between sites were associated with genes known to be involved in DNA damage repair, ion transport, and reproductive timing. Finally, when assessing the correlation between genomic variation and DNA methylation between these populations, we observed population-specific DNA methylation profiles that were not directly associated with single nucleotide polymorphisms or broader gene-body mean F ST trends. Our results suggest that C. virginica may use DNA methylation to generate environmentally responsive plastic phenotypes and that there is more divergence in methylation than divergence in allele frequencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M. Johnson
- Department of Biological SciencesLouisiana State UniversityBaton RougeLAUSA
| | - Morgan W. Kelly
- Department of Biological SciencesLouisiana State UniversityBaton RougeLAUSA
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