1
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Taff CC, McNew SM, Campagna L, Vitousek MN. Corticosterone exposure is associated with long-term changes in DNA methylation, physiology and breeding decisions in a wild bird. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17456. [PMID: 38953311 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17456] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
When facing challenges, vertebrates activate a hormonal stress response that can dramatically alter behaviour and physiology. Although this response can be costly, conceptual models suggest that it can also recalibrate the stress response system, priming more effective responses to future challenges. Little is known about whether this process occurs in wild animals, particularly in adulthood, and if so, how information about prior experience with stressors is encoded. One potential mechanism is hormonally mediated changes in DNA methylation. We simulated the spikes in corticosterone that accompany a stress response using non-invasive dosing in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) and monitored the phenotypic effects 1 year later. In a subset of individuals, we characterized DNA methylation using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing shortly after treatment and a year later. The year after treatment, experimental females had stronger negative feedback and initiated breeding earlier-traits that are associated with stress resilience and reproductive performance in our population-and higher baseline corticosterone. We also found that natural variation in corticosterone predicted patterns of DNA methylation. Finally, corticosterone treatment influenced methylation on short (1-2 weeks) and long (1 year) time scales; however, these changes did not have clear links to functional regulation of the stress response. Taken together, our results are consistent with corticosterone-induced priming of future stress resilience and support DNA methylation as a potential mechanism, but more work is needed to demonstrate functional consequences. Uncovering the mechanisms linking experience with the response to future challenges has implications for understanding the drivers of stress resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conor C Taff
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
- Department of Biology, Colby College, Waterville, Maine, USA
| | - Sabrina M McNew
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Leonardo Campagna
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Maren N Vitousek
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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2
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Watowich MM, Costa CE, Chiou KL, Goldman EA, Petersen RM, Patterson S, Martínez MI, Sterner KN, Horvath JE, Montague MJ, Platt ML, Brent LJN, Higham JP, Lea AJ, Snyder-Mackler N. Immune gene regulation is associated with age and environmental adversity in a nonhuman primate. Mol Ecol 2024:e17445. [PMID: 39032090 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17445] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Phenotypic aging is ubiquitous across mammalian species, suggesting shared underlying mechanisms of aging. Aging is linked to molecular changes to DNA methylation and gene expression, and environmental factors, such as severe external challenges or adversities, can moderate these age-related changes. Yet, it remains unclear whether environmental adversities affect gene regulation via the same molecular pathways as chronological, or 'primary', aging. Investigating molecular aging in naturalistic animal populations can fill this gap by providing insight into shared molecular mechanisms of aging and the effects of a greater diversity of environmental adversities - particularly those that can be challenging to study in humans or laboratory organisms. Here, we characterised molecular aging - specifically, CpG methylation - in a sample of free-ranging rhesus macaques living off the coast of Puerto Rico (n samples = 571, n individuals = 499), which endured a major hurricane during our study. Age was associated with methylation at 78,661 sites (31% of all sites tested). Age-associated hypermethylation occurred more frequently in areas of active gene regulation, while hypomethylation was enriched in regions that show less activity in immune cells, suggesting these regions may become de-repressed in older individuals. Age-associated hypomethylation also co-occurred with increased chromatin accessibility while hypermethylation showed the opposite trend, hinting at a coordinated, multi-level loss of epigenetic stability during aging. We detected 32,048 CpG sites significantly associated with exposure to a hurricane, and these sites overlapped age-associated sites, most strongly in regulatory regions and most weakly in quiescent regions. Together, our results suggest that environmental adversity may contribute to aging-related molecular phenotypes in regions of active gene transcription, but that primary aging has specific signatures in non-regulatory regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina M Watowich
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Christina E Costa
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kenneth L Chiou
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Elisabeth A Goldman
- Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research Center, Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Rachel M Petersen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Sam Patterson
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Melween I Martínez
- Caribbean Primate Research Center, Unit of Comparative Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico, USA
| | - Kirstin N Sterner
- Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA
| | - Julie E Horvath
- Research and Collections Section, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Renaissance Computing Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Michael J Montague
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michael L Platt
- Department of Neuroscience, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Psychology, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Marketing Department, Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lauren J N Brent
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - James P Higham
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA
| | - Amanda J Lea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Neurodegenerative Disease Research Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
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3
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Balard A, Baltazar-Soares M, Eizaguirre C, Heckwolf MJ. An epigenetic toolbox for conservation biologists. Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13699. [PMID: 38832081 PMCID: PMC11146150 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Ongoing climatic shifts and increasing anthropogenic pressures demand an efficient delineation of conservation units and accurate predictions of populations' resilience and adaptive potential. Molecular tools involving DNA sequencing are nowadays routinely used for these purposes. Yet, most of the existing tools focusing on sequence-level information have shortcomings in detecting signals of short-term ecological relevance. Epigenetic modifications carry valuable information to better link individuals, populations, and species to their environment. Here, we discuss a series of epigenetic monitoring tools that can be directly applied to various conservation contexts, complementing already existing molecular monitoring frameworks. Focusing on DNA sequence-based methods (e.g. DNA methylation, for which the applications are readily available), we demonstrate how (a) the identification of epi-biomarkers associated with age or infection can facilitate the determination of an individual's health status in wild populations; (b) whole epigenome analyses can identify signatures of selection linked to environmental conditions and facilitate estimating the adaptive potential of populations; and (c) epi-eDNA (epigenetic environmental DNA), an epigenetic-based conservation tool, presents a non-invasive sampling method to monitor biological information beyond the mere presence of individuals. Overall, our framework refines conservation strategies, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of species' adaptive potential and persistence on ecologically relevant timescales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Balard
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences Queen Mary University of London London UK
| | | | - Christophe Eizaguirre
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences Queen Mary University of London London UK
| | - Melanie J Heckwolf
- Department of Ecology Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research Bremen Germany
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4
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Vullioud C, Benhaiem S, Meneghini D, Szyf M, Shao Y, Hofer H, East ML, Fickel J, Weyrich A. Epigenetic signatures of social status in wild female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta). Commun Biol 2024; 7:313. [PMID: 38548860 PMCID: PMC10978994 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05926-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
In mammalian societies, dominance hierarchies translate into inequalities in health, reproductive performance and survival. DNA methylation is thought to mediate the effects of social status on gene expression and phenotypic outcomes, yet a study of social status-specific DNA methylation profiles in different age classes in a wild social mammal is missing. We tested for social status signatures in DNA methylation profiles in wild female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), cubs and adults, using non-invasively collected gut epithelium samples. In spotted hyena clans, female social status influences access to resources, foraging behavior, health, reproductive performance and survival. We identified 149 differentially methylated regions between 42 high- and low-ranking female spotted hyenas (cubs and adults). Differentially methylated genes were associated with energy conversion, immune function, glutamate receptor signalling and ion transport. Our results provide evidence that socio-environmental inequalities are reflected at the molecular level in cubs and adults in a wild social mammal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Vullioud
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| | - Sarah Benhaiem
- Department of Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| | - Dorina Meneghini
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Yong Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Heribert Hofer
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marion L East
- Department of Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| | - Jörns Fickel
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
- University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Alexandra Weyrich
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany.
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
- Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
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5
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Anderson JA, Lin D, Lea AJ, Johnston RA, Voyles T, Akinyi MY, Archie EA, Alberts SC, Tung J. DNA methylation signatures of early-life adversity are exposure-dependent in wild baboons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2309469121. [PMID: 38442181 PMCID: PMC10945818 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309469121] [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: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The early-life environment can profoundly shape the trajectory of an animal's life, even years or decades later. One mechanism proposed to contribute to these early-life effects is DNA methylation. However, the frequency and functional importance of DNA methylation in shaping early-life effects on adult outcomes is poorly understood, especially in natural populations. Here, we integrate prospectively collected data on fitness-associated variation in the early environment with DNA methylation estimates at 477,270 CpG sites in 256 wild baboons. We find highly heterogeneous relationships between the early-life environment and DNA methylation in adulthood: aspects of the environment linked to resource limitation (e.g., low-quality habitat, early-life drought) are associated with many more CpG sites than other types of environmental stressors (e.g., low maternal social status). Sites associated with early resource limitation are enriched in gene bodies and putative enhancers, suggesting they are functionally relevant. Indeed, by deploying a baboon-specific, massively parallel reporter assay, we show that a subset of windows containing these sites are capable of regulatory activity, and that, for 88% of early drought-associated sites in these regulatory windows, enhancer activity is DNA methylation-dependent. Together, our results support the idea that DNA methylation patterns contain a persistent signature of the early-life environment. However, they also indicate that not all environmental exposures leave an equivalent mark and suggest that socioenvironmental variation at the time of sampling is more likely to be functionally important. Thus, multiple mechanisms must converge to explain early-life effects on fitness-related traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan A. Anderson
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Dana Lin
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Amanda J. Lea
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child & Brain Development Program, Toronto, ONM5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN37235
| | | | - Tawni Voyles
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Mercy Y. Akinyi
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi00502, Kenya
| | - Elizabeth A. Archie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN46556
| | - Susan C. Alberts
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Child & Brain Development Program, Toronto, ONM5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC27708
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig04103, Germany
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6
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Tennenbaum SR, Bortner R, Lynch C, Santymire R, Crosier A, Santiestevan J, Marinari P, Pukazhenthi BS, Comizzoli P, Hawkins MTR, Maldonado JE, Koepfli K, vonHoldt BM, DeCandia AL. Epigenetic changes to gene pathways linked to male fertility in ex situ black-footed ferrets. Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13634. [PMID: 38283602 PMCID: PMC10818088 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Environmental variation can influence the reproductive success of species managed under human care and in the wild, yet the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain largely mysterious. Molecular mechanisms such as epigenetic modifiers are important in mediating the timing and progression of reproduction in humans and model organisms, but few studies have linked epigenetic variation to reproductive fitness in wildlife. Here, we investigated epigenetic variation in black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes), an endangered North American mammal reliant on ex situ management for survival and persistence in the wild. Despite similar levels of genetic diversity in human-managed and wild-born populations, individuals in ex situ facilities exhibit reproductive problems, such as poor sperm quality. Differences across these settings suggest that an environmentally driven decline in reproductive capacity may be occurring in this species. We examined the role of DNA methylation, one well-studied epigenetic modifier, in this emergent condition. We leveraged blood, testes, and semen samples from male black-footed ferrets bred in ex situ facilities and found tissue-type specificity in DNA methylation across the genome, although 1360 Gene Ontology terms associated with male average litter size shared functions across tissues. We then constructed gene networks of differentially methylated genomic sites associated with three different reproductive phenotypes to explore the putative biological impact of variation in DNA methylation. Sperm gene networks associated with average litter size and sperm count were functionally enriched for candidate genes involved in reproduction, development, and its regulation through transcriptional repression. We propose that DNA methylation plays an important role in regulating these reproductive phenotypes, thereby impacting the fertility of male ex situ individuals. Our results provide information into how DNA methylation may function in the alteration of reproductive pathways and phenotypes in artificial environments. These findings provide early insights to conservation hurdles faced in the protection of this rare species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robyn Bortner
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service National Black‐Footed Ferret Conservation CenterCarrColoradoUSA
| | | | - Rachel Santymire
- Biology DepartmentGeorgia State UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
- Center for Species SurvivalSmithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology InstituteFront RoyalVirginiaUSA
| | - Adrienne Crosier
- Center for Animal Care SciencesSmithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology InstituteFront RoyalVirginiaUSA
| | - Jenny Santiestevan
- Center for Species SurvivalSmithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology InstituteFront RoyalVirginiaUSA
| | - Paul Marinari
- Center for Animal Care SciencesSmithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology InstituteFront RoyalVirginiaUSA
| | - Budhan S. Pukazhenthi
- Center for Species SurvivalSmithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology InstituteFront RoyalVirginiaUSA
| | - Pierre Comizzoli
- Center for Species SurvivalSmithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology InstituteFront RoyalVirginiaUSA
| | - Melissa T. R. Hawkins
- Division of Mammals, Department of Vertebrate ZoologyNational Museum of Natural HistoryWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Jesús E. Maldonado
- Center for Conservation GenomicsSmithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology InstituteWashingtonDCUSA
| | - Klaus‐Peter Koepfli
- Center for Species SurvivalSmithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology InstituteFront RoyalVirginiaUSA
- Smithsonian‐Mason School of ConservationGeorge Mason UniversityFront RoyalVirginiaUSA
| | | | - Alexandra L. DeCandia
- Center for Conservation GenomicsSmithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology InstituteWashingtonDCUSA
- BiologyGeorgetown UniversityWashingtonDCUSA
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7
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de Carvalho CF, Slate J, Villoutreix R, Soria-Carrasco V, Riesch R, Feder JL, Gompert Z, Nosil P. DNA methylation differences between stick insect ecotypes. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:6809-6823. [PMID: 37864542 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, can influence gene regulation and affect phenotypic variation, raising the possibility that they contribute to ecological adaptation. Beginning to address this issue requires high-resolution sequencing studies of natural populations to pinpoint epigenetic regions of potential ecological and evolutionary significance. However, such studies are still relatively uncommon, especially in insects, and are mainly restricted to a few model organisms. Here, we characterize patterns of DNA methylation for natural populations of Timema cristinae adapted to two host plant species (i.e. ecotypes). By integrating results from sequencing of whole transcriptomes, genomes and methylomes, we investigate whether environmental, host and genetic differences of these stick insects are associated with methylation levels of cytosine nucleotides in the CpG context. We report an overall genome-wide methylation level for T. cristinae of ~14%, with methylation being enriched in gene bodies and impoverished in repetitive elements. Genome-wide DNA methylation variation was strongly positively correlated with genetic distance (relatedness), but also exhibited significant host-plant effects. Using methylome-environment association analysis, we pinpointed specific genomic regions that are differentially methylated between ecotypes, with these regions being enriched for genes with functions in membrane processes. The observed association between methylation variation and genetic relatedness, and with the ecologically important variable of host plant, suggests a potential role for epigenetic modification in T. cristinae adaptation. To substantiate such adaptive significance, future studies could test whether methylation can be transmitted across generations and the extent to which it responds to experimental manipulation in field and laboratory studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jon Slate
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | | | - Rüdiger Riesch
- University of Montpellier, CEFE, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Jeffrey L Feder
- Department of Biology, Notre Dame University, South Bend, Indiana, USA
| | | | - Patrik Nosil
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- University of Montpellier, CEFE, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
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8
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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: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [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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9
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Siller Wilks SJ, Westneat DF, Heidinger BJ, Solomon J, Rubenstein DR. Epigenetic modification of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis during development in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2023; 341:114336. [PMID: 37328040 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2023.114336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation are important mechanisms for mediating developmental plasticity, where ontogenetic processes and their phenotypic outcomes are shaped by early environments. In particular, changes in DNA methylation of genes within the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis can impact offspring growth and development. This relationship has been well documented in mammals but is less understood in other taxa. Here, we use target-enriched enzymatic methyl sequencing (TEEM-seq) to assess how DNA methylation in a suite of 25 genes changes over development, how these modifications relate to the early environment, and how they predict differential growth trajectories in the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). We found that DNA methylation changes dynamically over the postnatal developmental period: genes with initially low DNA methylation tended to decline in methylation over development, whereas genes with initially high DNA methylation tended to increase in methylation. However, sex-specific differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were maintained across the developmental period. We also found significant differences in post-hatching DNA methylation in relation to hatch date, with higher levels of DNA methylation in nestlings hatched earlier in the season. Although these differences were largely absent by the end of development, a number of DMRs in HPA-related genes (CRH, MC2R, NR3C1, NR3C2, POMC)-and to a lesser degree HPG-related genes (GNRHR2)-predicted nestling growth trajectories over development. These findings provide insight into the mechanisms by which the early environment shapes DNA methylation in the HPA axis, and how these changes subsequently influence growth and potentially mediate developmental plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie J Siller Wilks
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - David F Westneat
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Britt J Heidinger
- Biological Sciences Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
| | - Joseph Solomon
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Dustin R Rubenstein
- Department of Ecology Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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10
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Anderson JA, Lin D, Lea AJ, Johnston RA, Voyles T, Akinyi MY, Archie EA, Alberts SC, Tung J. DNA methylation signatures of early life adversity are exposure-dependent in wild baboons. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.05.542485. [PMID: 37333311 PMCID: PMC10274726 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.05.542485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The early life environment can profoundly shape the trajectory of an animal's life, even years or decades later. One mechanism proposed to contribute to these early life effects is DNA methylation. However, the frequency and functional importance of DNA methylation in shaping early life effects on adult outcomes is poorly understood, especially in natural populations. Here, we integrate prospectively collected data on fitness-associated variation in the early environment with DNA methylation estimates at 477,270 CpG sites in 256 wild baboons. We find highly heterogeneous relationships between the early life environment and DNA methylation in adulthood: aspects of the environment linked to resource limitation (e.g., low-quality habitat, early life drought) are associated with many more CpG sites than other types of environmental stressors (e.g., low maternal social status). Sites associated with early resource limitation are enriched in gene bodies and putative enhancers, suggesting they are functionally relevant. Indeed, by deploying a baboon-specific, massively parallel reporter assay, we show that a subset of windows containing these sites are capable of regulatory activity, and that, for 88% of early drought-associated sites in these regulatory windows, enhancer activity is DNA methylation-dependent. Together, our results support the idea that DNA methylation patterns contain a persistent signature of the early life environment. However, they also indicate that not all environmental exposures leave an equivalent mark and suggest that socioenvironmental variation at the time of sampling is more likely to be functionally important. Thus, multiple mechanisms must converge to explain early life effects on fitness-related traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan A Anderson
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Dana Lin
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Amanda J Lea
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada M5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, 37235, USA
| | - Rachel A Johnston
- Zoo New England, Stoneham, Massachusetts, 02180
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02142
| | - Tawni Voyles
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
| | - Mercy Y Akinyi
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi 00502, Kenya
| | - Elizabeth A Archie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Toronto, Canada M5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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11
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von Holdt BM, Kartzinel RY, van Oers K, Verhoeven KJF, Ouyang JQ. Changes in the rearing environment cause reorganization of molecular networks associated with DNA methylation. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:648-664. [PMID: 36567635 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13878] [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: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Disentangling the interaction between the genetic basis and environmental context underlying phenotypic variation is critical for understanding organismal evolution. Environmental change, such as increased rates of urbanization, can induce shifts in phenotypic plasticity with some individuals adapting to city life while others are displaced. A key trait that can facilitate adaptation is the degree at which animals respond to stressors. This stress response, which includes elevation of baseline circulating concentrations of glucocorticoids, has a heritable component and exhibits intra- and inter-individual variation. However, the mechanisms behind this variability and whether they might be responsible for adaptation to different environments are not known. Variation in DNA methylation can be a potential mechanism that mediates environmental effects on the stress response, as early-life stressors increase glucocorticoid concentrations and change adult phenotype. We used an inter- and intra-environmental cross-foster experiment to analyse the contribution of DNA methylation to early-life phenotypic variation. We found that at hatching, urban house wren (Troglodytes aedon) offspring had higher methylation frequencies compared with their rural counterparts. We also observed age-related patterns in offspring methylation, indicating the developmental effects of the rearing environment on methylation. At fledgling, differential methylation analyses showed that cellular respiration genes were differentially methylated in broods of different origins and behavioural and metabolism genes were differentially methylated in broods of different rearing environments. Lastly, hyper-methylation of a single gene (CNTNAP2) is associated with decreased glucocorticoid levels and the rearing environment. These differential methylation patterns linked to a specific physiological phenotype suggest that DNA methylation may be a mechanism by which individuals adjust to novel environments during their lifespan. Characterizing genetic and environmental influences on methylation is critical for understanding the role of epigenetic mechanisms in evolutionary adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridgett M von Holdt
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
| | - Rebecca Y Kartzinel
- Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Kees van Oers
- Department of Animal 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
| | - Jenny Q Ouyang
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA
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12
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Bock SL, Smaga CR, McCoy JA, Parrott BB. Genome-wide DNA methylation patterns harbour signatures of hatchling sex and past incubation temperature in a species with environmental sex determination. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:5487-5505. [PMID: 35997618 PMCID: PMC9826120 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Conservation of thermally sensitive species depends on monitoring organismal and population-level responses to environmental change in real time. Epigenetic processes are increasingly recognized as key integrators of environmental conditions into developmentally plastic responses, and attendant epigenomic data sets hold potential for revealing cryptic phenotypes relevant to conservation efforts. Here, we demonstrate the utility of genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm) patterns in the face of climate change for a group of especially vulnerable species, those with temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). Due to their reliance on thermal cues during development to determine sexual fate, contemporary shifts in temperature are predicted to skew offspring sex ratios and ultimately destabilize sensitive populations. Using reduced-representation bisulphite sequencing, we profiled the DNA methylome in blood cells of hatchling American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis), a TSD species lacking reliable markers of sexual dimorphism in early life stages. We identified 120 sex-associated differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs; FDR < 0.1) in hatchlings incubated under a range of temperatures, as well as 707 unique temperature-associated DMCs. We further developed DNAm-based models capable of predicting hatchling sex with 100% accuracy (in 20 training samples and four test samples) and past incubation temperature with a mean absolute error of 1.2°C (in four test samples) based on the methylation status of 20 and 24 loci, respectively. Though largely independent of epigenomic patterning occurring in the embryonic gonad during TSD, DNAm patterns in blood cells may serve as nonlethal markers of hatchling sex and past incubation conditions in conservation applications. These findings also raise intriguing questions regarding tissue-specific epigenomic patterning in the context of developmental plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L. Bock
- Eugene P. Odum School of EcologyUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgiaUSA
- Savannah River Ecology LaboratoryAikenSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - Christopher R. Smaga
- Eugene P. Odum School of EcologyUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgiaUSA
- Savannah River Ecology LaboratoryAikenSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - Jessica A. McCoy
- Department of BiologyCollege of CharlestonCharlestonSouth CarolinaUSA
| | - Benjamin B. Parrott
- Eugene P. Odum School of EcologyUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgiaUSA
- Savannah River Ecology LaboratoryAikenSouth CarolinaUSA
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13
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Urlacher SS, Kim EY, Luan T, Young LJ, Adjetey B. Minimally invasive biomarkers in human and non-human primate evolutionary biology: Tools for understanding variation and adaptation. Am J Hum Biol 2022; 34:e23811. [PMID: 36205445 PMCID: PMC9787651 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of minimally invasive biomarkers (MIBs - physiological biomarkers obtained from minimally invasive sample types) has expanded rapidly in science and medicine over the past several decades. The MIB approach is a methodological strength in the field of human and non-human primate evolutionary biology (HEB). Among humans and our closest relatives, MIBs provide unique opportunities to document phenotypic variation and to operationalize evolutionary hypotheses. AIMS This paper overviews the use of MIBs in HEB. Our objectives are to (1) highlight key research topics which successfully implement MIBs, (2) identify promising yet under-investigated areas of MIB application, and (3) discuss current challenges in MIB research, with suggestions for advancing the field. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS A range of MIBs are used to investigate focal topics in HEB, including energetics and life history variation/evolution, developmental plasticity, and social status and dominance relationships. Nonetheless, we identify gaps in existing MIB research on traits such as physical growth and gut function that are central to the field. Several challenges remain for HEB research using MIBs, including the need for additional biomarkers and methods of assessment, robust validations, and approaches that are standardized across labs and research groups. Importantly, researchers must provide better support for adaptation and fitness effects in hypothesis testing (e.g., by obtaining complementary measures of energy expenditure, demonstrating redundancy of function, and performing lifetime/longitudinal analyses). We point to continued progress in the use of MIBs in HEB to better understand the past, present, and future of humans and our closest primate relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel S. Urlacher
- Department of AnthropologyBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
- Child and Brain Development ProgramCIFARTorontoOntarioCanada
| | - Elizabeth Y. Kim
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
- Department of BiologyBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Tiffany Luan
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Lauren J. Young
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
| | - Brian Adjetey
- Human Evolutionary Biology and Health LabBaylor UniversityWacoTexasUSA
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14
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The Mutagenic Consequences of DNA Methylation within and across Generations. EPIGENOMES 2022; 6:epigenomes6040033. [PMID: 36278679 PMCID: PMC9624357 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes6040033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification with wide-ranging consequences across the life of an organism. This modification can be stable, persisting through development despite changing environmental conditions. However, in other contexts, DNA methylation can also be flexible, underlying organismal phenotypic plasticity. One underappreciated aspect of DNA methylation is that it is a potent mutagen; methylated cytosines mutate at a much faster rate than other genetic motifs. This mutagenic property of DNA methylation has been largely ignored in eco-evolutionary literature, despite its prevalence. Here, we explore how DNA methylation induced by environmental and other factors could promote mutation and lead to evolutionary change at a more rapid rate and in a more directed manner than through stochastic genetic mutations alone. We argue for future research on the evolutionary implications of DNA methylation driven mutations both within the lifetime of organisms, as well as across timescales.
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15
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Population Epigenetics: The Extent of DNA Methylation Variation in Wild Animal Populations. EPIGENOMES 2022; 6:epigenomes6040031. [PMID: 36278677 PMCID: PMC9589984 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes6040031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Population epigenetics explores the extent of epigenetic variation and its dynamics in natural populations encountering changing environmental conditions. In contrast to population genetics, the basic concepts of this field are still in their early stages, especially in animal populations. Epigenetic variation may play a crucial role in phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation as it can be affected by the environment, it is likely to have higher spontaneous mutation rate than nucleotide sequences do, and it may be inherited via non-mendelian processes. In this review, we aim to bring together natural animal population epigenetic studies to generate new insights into ecological epigenetics and its evolutionary implications. We first provide an overview of the extent of DNA methylation variation and its autonomy from genetic variation in wild animal population. Second, we discuss DNA methylation dynamics which create observed epigenetic population structures by including basic population genetics processes. Then, we highlight the relevance of DNA methylation variation as an evolutionary mechanism in the extended evolutionary synthesis. Finally, we suggest new research directions by highlighting gaps in the knowledge of the population epigenetics field. As for our results, DNA methylation diversity was found to reveal parameters that can be used to characterize natural animal populations. Some concepts of population genetics dynamics can be applied to explain the observed epigenetic structure in natural animal populations. The set of recent advancements in ecological epigenetics, especially in transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in wild animal population, might reshape the way ecologists generate predictive models of the capacity of organisms to adapt to changing environments.
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16
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Liu S, Tengstedt ANB, Jacobsen MW, Pujolar JM, Jónsson B, Lobón-Cervià J, Bernatchez L, Hansen MM. Genome-wide methylation in the panmictic European eel (Anguilla anguilla). Mol Ecol 2022; 31:4286-4306. [PMID: 35767387 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The role of methylation in adaptive, developmental and speciation processes has attracted considerable interest, but interpretation of results is complicated by diffuse boundaries between genetic and non-genetic variation. We studied whole genome genetic and methylation variation in the European eel, distributed from subarctic to subtropical environments, but with panmixia precluding genetically based local adaptation beyond single-generation responses. Overall methylation was 70.9%, with hypomethylation predominantly found in promoters and first exons. Redundancy analyses involving juvenile glass eels showed 0.06% and 0.03% of the variance at SNPs to be explained by localities and environmental variables, respectively, with GO terms of genes associated with outliers primarily involving neural system functioning. For CpGs 2.98% and 1.36% of variance was explained by localities and environmental variables. Differentially methylated regions particularly included genes involved in developmental processes, with hox clusters featuring prominently. Life stage (adult versus glass eels) was the most important source of inter-individual variation in methylation, likely reflecting both ageing and developmental processes. Demethylation of transposable elements relative to pure European eel was observed in European X American eel hybrids, possibly representing postzygotic barriers in this system characterized by prolonged speciation and ongoing gene flow. Whereas the genetic data are consistent with a role of single-generation selective responses, the methylation results underpin the importance of epigenetics in the life cycle of eels and suggests interactions between local environments, development and phenotypic variation mediated by methylation variation. Eels are remarkable by having retained eight hox clusters, and the results suggest important roles of methylation at hox genes for adaptive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shenglin Liu
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | | | - Magnus W Jacobsen
- Section for Marine Living Resources, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Jose Martin Pujolar
- Centre for Gelatinous Plankton Ecology and Evolution, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Bjarni Jónsson
- North West Iceland Nature Center, Iceland.,The Icelandic Parliament, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | | | - Louis Bernatchez
- IBIS (Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes), Université Laval, Québec, Canada
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17
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Weyrich A, Guerrero-Altamirano TP, Yasar S, Czirják GÁ, Wachter B, Fickel J. First Steps towards the Development of Epigenetic Biomarkers in Female Cheetahs ( Acinonyx jubatus). LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12060920. [PMID: 35743950 PMCID: PMC9225391 DOI: 10.3390/life12060920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Free-ranging cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) are generally healthy, whereas cheetahs under human care, such as those in zoological gardens, suffer from ill-defined infectious and degenerative pathologies. These differences are only partially explained by husbandry management programs because both groups share low genetic diversity. However, mounting evidence suggests that physiological differences between populations in different environments can be tracked down to differences in epigenetic signatures. Here, we identified differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between free-ranging cheetahs and conspecifics in zoological gardens and prospect putative links to pathways relevant to immunity, energy balance and homeostasis. Comparing epigenomic DNA methylation profiles obtained from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from eight free-ranging female cheetahs from Namibia and seven female cheetahs living in zoological gardens within Europe, we identified DMRs of which 22 were hypermethylated and 23 hypomethylated. Hypermethylated regions in cheetahs under human care were located in the promoter region of a gene involved in host-pathogen interactions (KLC1) and in an intron of a transcription factor relevant for the development of pancreatic β-cells, liver, and kidney (GLIS3). The most canonical mechanism of DNA methylation in promoter regions is assumed to repress gene transcription. Taken together, this could indicate that hypermethylation at the promoter region of KLC1 is involved in the reduced immunity in cheetahs under human care. This approach can be generalized to characterize DNA methylation profiles in larger cheetah populations under human care with a more granular longitudinal data collection, which, in the future, could be used to monitor the early onset of pathologies, and ultimately translate into the development of biomarkers with prophylactic and/or therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Weyrich
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; (T.P.G.-A.); (S.Y.)
- Correspondence: (A.W.); (B.W.); (J.F.)
| | - Tania P. Guerrero-Altamirano
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; (T.P.G.-A.); (S.Y.)
- Program in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Selma Yasar
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; (T.P.G.-A.); (S.Y.)
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Gábor Á. Czirják
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany;
| | - Bettina Wachter
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
- Correspondence: (A.W.); (B.W.); (J.F.)
| | - Jörns Fickel
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany; (T.P.G.-A.); (S.Y.)
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
- Correspondence: (A.W.); (B.W.); (J.F.)
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18
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Denoyelle L, de Villemereuil P, Boyer F, Khelifi M, Gaffet C, Alberto F, Benjelloun B, Pompanon F. Genetic Variations and Differential DNA Methylation to Face Contrasted Climates in Small Ruminants: An Analysis on Traditionally-Managed Sheep and Goats. Front Genet 2021; 12:745284. [PMID: 34650601 PMCID: PMC8508783 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.745284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The way in which living organisms mobilize a combination of long-term adaptive mechanisms and short-term phenotypic plasticity to face environmental variations is still largely unknown. In the context of climate change, understanding the genetic and epigenetic bases for adaptation and plasticity is a major stake for preserving genomic resources and the resilience capacity of livestock populations. We characterized both epigenetic and genetic variations by contrasting 22 sheep and 21 goats from both sides of a climate gradient, focusing on free-ranging populations from Morocco. We produced for each individual Whole-Genome Sequence at 12X coverage and MeDIP-Seq data, to identify regions under selection and those differentially methylated. For both species, the analysis of genetic differences (FST) along the genome between animals from localities with high vs. low temperature annual variations detected candidate genes under selection in relation to environmental perception (5 genes), immunity (4 genes), reproduction (8 genes) and production (11 genes). Moreover, we found for each species one differentially methylated gene, namely AGPTA4 in goat and SLIT3 in sheep, which were both related, among other functions, to milk production and muscle development. In both sheep and goats, the comparison between genomic regions impacted by genetic and epigenetic variations suggests that climatic variations impacted similar biological pathways but different genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure Denoyelle
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France.,GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - Pierre de Villemereuil
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), École Pratique des Hautes Études
- PSL, MNHN, CNRS, SU, UA, Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Boyer
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
| | - Meidhi Khelifi
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
| | - Clément Gaffet
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
| | - Florian Alberto
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
| | - Badr Benjelloun
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France.,Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique Maroc (INRA-Maroc), Centre Régional de Beni Mellal, Beni Mellal, Morocco
| | - François Pompanon
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, Grenoble, France
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19
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Qi H, Kinoshita K, Mori T, Matsumoto K, Matsui Y, Inoue-Murayama M. Age estimation using methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM) in both healthy felines and those with chronic kidney disease. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19963. [PMID: 34620957 PMCID: PMC8497492 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99424-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Age is an important ecological tool in wildlife conservation. However, it is difficult to estimate in most animals, including felines-most of whom are endangered. Here, we developed the first DNA methylation-based age-estimation technique-as an alternative to current age-estimation methods-for two feline species that share a relatively long genetic distance with each other: domestic cat (Felis catus; 79 blood samples) and an endangered Panthera, the snow leopard (Panthera uncia; 11 blood samples). We measured the methylation rates of two gene regions using methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting (MS-HRM). Domestic cat age was estimated with a mean absolute deviation (MAD) of 3.83 years. Health conditions influenced accuracy of the model. Specifically, the models built on cats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) had lower accuracy than those built on healthy cats. The snow leopard-specific model (i.e. the model that resets the model settings for snow leopards) had a better accuracy (MAD = 2.10 years) than that obtained on using the domestic cat model directly. This implies that our markers could be utilised across species, although changing the model settings when targeting different species could lead to better estimation accuracy. The snow leopard-specific model also successfully distinguished between sexually immature and mature individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiyuan Qi
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8203, Japan
| | - Kodzue Kinoshita
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8203, Japan
| | - Takashi Mori
- Kyoto Medical Center, Daktari Animal Hospital, Kyoto, 615-8234, Japan
| | - Kaori Matsumoto
- Kyoto Medical Center, Daktari Animal Hospital, Kyoto, 615-8234, Japan
- Miyazaki Prefectural Miyakonojo Livestock Hygiene Service Center, Miyazaki, 889-4505, Japan
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20
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Laubach ZM, Greenberg JR, Turner JW, Montgomery TM, Pioon MO, Sawdy MA, Smale L, Cavalcante RG, Padmanabhan KR, Lalancette C, vonHoldt B, Faulk CD, Dolinoy DC, Holekamp KE, Perng W. Early-life social experience affects offspring DNA methylation and later life stress phenotype. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4398. [PMID: 34285226 PMCID: PMC8292380 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24583-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies in rodents and captive primates suggest that the early-life social environment affects future phenotype, potentially through alterations to DNA methylation. Little is known of these associations in wild animals. In a wild population of spotted hyenas, we test the hypothesis that maternal care during the first year of life and social connectedness during two periods of early development leads to differences in DNA methylation and fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) later in life. Here we report that although maternal care and social connectedness during the den-dependent life stage are not associated with fGCMs, greater social connectedness during the subadult den-independent life stage is associated with lower adult fGCMs. Additionally, more maternal care and social connectedness after den independence correspond with higher global (%CCGG) DNA methylation. We also note differential DNA methylation near 5 genes involved in inflammation, immune response, and aging that may link maternal care with stress phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary M Laubach
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA MI, USA.
- BEACON, NSF Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
- Mara Hyena Project, Masai Mara National Reserve, Narok, Kenya.
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA.
| | - Julia R Greenberg
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA MI, USA
- Mara Hyena Project, Masai Mara National Reserve, Narok, Kenya
| | - Julie W Turner
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA MI, USA
- BEACON, NSF Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Mara Hyena Project, Masai Mara National Reserve, Narok, Kenya
| | - Tracy M Montgomery
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA MI, USA
- Mara Hyena Project, Masai Mara National Reserve, Narok, Kenya
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Malit O Pioon
- Mara Hyena Project, Masai Mara National Reserve, Narok, Kenya
| | - Maggie A Sawdy
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA MI, USA
| | - Laura Smale
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Department of Psychology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | | | | | | | - Bridgett vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | | | - Dana C Dolinoy
- Epigenomics Core, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kay E Holekamp
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA MI, USA
- BEACON, NSF Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- Mara Hyena Project, Masai Mara National Reserve, Narok, Kenya
| | - Wei Perng
- Department of Epidemiology and Lifecourse Epidemiology of Adiposity and Diabetes (LEAD) Center, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
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21
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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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22
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Anderson JA, Johnston RA, Lea AJ, Campos FA, Voyles TN, Akinyi MY, Alberts SC, Archie EA, Tung J. High social status males experience accelerated epigenetic aging in wild baboons. eLife 2021; 10:e66128. [PMID: 33821798 PMCID: PMC8087445 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging, for virtually all life, is inescapable. However, within populations, biological aging rates vary. Understanding sources of variation in this process is central to understanding the biodemography of natural populations. We constructed a DNA methylation-based age predictor for an intensively studied wild baboon population in Kenya. Consistent with findings in humans, the resulting 'epigenetic clock' closely tracks chronological age, but individuals are predicted to be somewhat older or younger than their known ages. Surprisingly, these deviations are not explained by the strongest predictors of lifespan in this population, early adversity and social integration. Instead, they are best predicted by male dominance rank: high-ranking males are predicted to be older than their true ages, and epigenetic age tracks changes in rank over time. Our results argue that achieving high rank for male baboons - the best predictor of reproductive success - imposes costs consistent with a 'live fast, die young' life-history strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan A Anderson
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
| | - Rachel A Johnston
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
| | - Amanda J Lea
- Department of Biology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Carl Icahn Laboratory, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Princeton UniversityPrincetonUnited States
| | - Fernando A Campos
- Department of Biology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at San AntonioSan AntonioUnited States
| | - Tawni N Voyles
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
| | - Mercy Y Akinyi
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of KenyaNairobiKenya
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Department of Biology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
| | - Elizabeth A Archie
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre DameNotre DameUnited States
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Department of Biology, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Duke Population Research Institute, Duke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Canadian Institute for Advanced ResearchTorontoCanada
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23
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Hu J, Wuitchik SJS, Barry TN, Jamniczky HA, Rogers SM, Barrett RDH. Heritability of DNA methylation in threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Genetics 2021; 217:1-15. [PMID: 33683369 PMCID: PMC8045681 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyab001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 12/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms underlying phenotypic change are hypothesized to contribute to population persistence and adaptation in the face of environmental change. To date, few studies have explored the heritability of intergenerationally stable methylation levels in natural populations, and little is known about the relative contribution of cis- and trans-regulatory changes to methylation variation. Here, we explore the heritability of DNA methylation, and conduct methylation quantitative trait loci (meQTLs) analysis to investigate the genetic architecture underlying methylation variation between marine and freshwater ecotypes of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). We quantitatively measured genome-wide DNA methylation in fin tissue using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing of F1 and F2 crosses, and their marine and freshwater source populations. We identified cytosines (CpG sites) that exhibited stable methylation levels across generations. We found that additive genetic variance explained an average of 24-35% of the methylation variance, with a number of CpG sites possibly autonomous from genetic control. We also detected both cis- and trans-meQTLs, with only trans-meQTLs overlapping with previously identified genomic regions of high differentiation between marine and freshwater ecotypes. Finally, we identified the genetic architecture underlying two key CpG sites that were differentially methylated between ecotypes. These findings demonstrate a potential role for DNA methylation in facilitating adaptation to divergent environments and improve our understanding of the heritable basis of population epigenomic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juntao Hu
- National Observation and Research Station for Yangtze Estuarine Wetland Ecosystems, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Biodiversity Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
- Redpath Museum and Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C4, Canada
| | - Sara J S Wuitchik
- Informatics Group, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Tegan N Barry
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Heather A Jamniczky
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, McCaig Institute for Bone and Joint Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Sean M Rogers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Rowan D H Barrett
- Redpath Museum and Department of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0C4, Canada
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24
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Sun D, Layman TS, Jeong H, Chatterjee P, Grogan K, Merritt JR, Maney DL, Yi SV. Genome-wide variation in DNA methylation linked to developmental stage and chromosomal suppression of recombination in white-throated sparrows. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:3453-3467. [PMID: 33421223 PMCID: PMC8359194 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Much of our knowledge on regulatory impacts of DNA methylation has come from laboratory‐bred model organisms, which may not exhibit the full extent of variation found in wild populations. Here, we investigated naturally‐occurring variation in DNA methylation in a wild avian species, the white‐throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). This species offers exceptional opportunities for studying the link between genetic differentiation and phenotypic traits because of a nonrecombining chromosome pair linked to both plumage and behavioural phenotypes. Using novel single‐nucleotide resolution methylation maps and gene expression data, we show that DNA methylation and the expression of DNA methyltransferases are significantly higher in adults than in nestlings. Genes for which DNA methylation varied between nestlings and adults were implicated in development and cell differentiation and were located throughout the genome. In contrast, differential methylation between plumage morphs was concentrated in the nonrecombining chromosome pair. Interestingly, a large number of CpGs on the nonrecombining chromosome, localized to transposable elements, have undergone dramatic loss of DNA methylation since the split of the ZAL2 and ZAL2m chromosomes. Changes in methylation predicted changes in gene expression for both chromosomes. In summary, we demonstrate changes in genome‐wide DNA methylation that are associated with development and with specific functional categories of genes in white‐throated sparrows. Moreover, we observe substantial DNA methylation reprogramming associated with the suppression of recombination, with implications for genome integrity and gene expression divergence. These results offer an unprecedented view of ongoing epigenetic reprogramming in a wild population. see also the Perspective by Jordan A. Anderson and Jenny Tung.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Sun
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Smithville, TX, USA
| | - Thomas S Layman
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Hyeonsoo Jeong
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Paramita Chatterjee
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Kathleen Grogan
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Donna L Maney
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Soojin V Yi
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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25
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Hazard D, Plisson-Petit F, Moreno-Romieux C, Fabre S, Drouilhet L. Genetic Determinism Exists for the Global DNA Methylation Rate in Sheep. Front Genet 2021; 11:616960. [PMID: 33424937 PMCID: PMC7786236 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.616960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies showed that epigenetic marks, including DNA methylation, influence production and adaptive traits in plants and animals. So far, most studies dealing with genetics and epigenetics considered DNA methylation sites independently. However, the genetic basis of the global DNA methylation rate (GDMR) remains unknown. The main objective of the present study was to investigate genetic determinism of GDMR in sheep. The experiment was conducted on 1,047 Romane sheep allocated into 10 half-sib families. After weaning, all the lambs were phenotyped for global GDMR in blood as well as for production and adaptive traits. GDMR was measured by LUminometric Methylation Analysis (LUMA) using a pyrosequencing approach. Association analyses were conducted on some of the lambs (n = 775) genotyped by using the Illumina OvineSNP50 BeadChip. Blood GDMR varied among the animals (average 70.7 ± 6.0%). Female lambs had significantly higher GDMR than male lambs. Inter-individual variability of blood GDMR had an additive genetic component and heritability was moderate (h2 = 0.20 ± 0.05). No significant genetic correlation was found between GDMR and growth or carcass traits, birthcoat, or social behaviors. Association analyses revealed 28 QTLs associated with blood GDMR. Seven genomic regions on chromosomes 1, 5, 11, 17, 24, and 26 were of most interest due to either high significant associations with GDMR or to the relevance of genes located close to the QTLs. QTL effects were moderate. Genomic regions associated with GDMR harbored several genes not yet described as being involved in DNA methylation, but some are already known to play an active role in gene expression. In addition, some candidate genes, CHD1, NCO3A, KDM8, KAT7, and KAT6A have previously been described to be involved in epigenetic modifications. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that blood GDMR in domestic sheep is under polygenic influence and provide new insights into DNA methylation genetic determinism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Hazard
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, Castanet Tolosan, France
| | | | | | - Stéphane Fabre
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, Castanet Tolosan, France
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26
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Watson H, Powell D, Salmón P, Jacobs A, Isaksson C. Urbanization is associated with modifications in DNA methylation in a small passerine bird. Evol Appl 2021; 14:85-98. [PMID: 33519958 PMCID: PMC7819559 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization represents a fierce driver of phenotypic change, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying observed phenotypic patterns are poorly understood. Epigenetic changes are expected to facilitate more rapid adaption to changing or novel environments, such as our towns and cities, compared with slow changes in gene sequence. A comparison of liver and blood tissue from great tits Parus major originating from an urban and a forest site demonstrated that urbanization is associated with variation in genome-wide patterns of DNA methylation. Combining reduced representation bisulphite sequencing with transcriptome data, we revealed habitat differences in DNA methylation patterns that suggest a regulated and coordinated response to the urban environment. In the liver, genomic sites that were differentially methylated between urban- and forest-dwelling birds were over-represented in regulatory regions of the genome and more likely to occur in expressed genes. DNA methylation levels were also inversely correlated with gene expression at transcription start sites. Furthermore, differentially methylated CpG sites, in liver, were over-represented in pathways involved in (i) steroid biosynthesis, (ii) superoxide metabolism, (iii) secondary alcohol metabolism, (iv) chylomicron remodelling, (v) cholesterol transport, (vi) reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolic process and (vii) epithelial cell proliferation. This corresponds with earlier studies identifying diet and exposure to ROS as two of the main drivers of divergence between organisms in urban and nonurban environments. Conversely, in blood, sites that were differentially methylated between urban- and forest-dwelling birds were under-represented in regulatory regions, more likely to occur in nonexpressed genes and not over-represented in specific biological pathways. It remains to be determined whether diverging patterns of DNA methylation represent adaptive evolutionary responses and whether the conclusions can be more widely attributed to urbanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Watson
- Evolutionary Ecology, Biology DepartmentLund UniversityLundSweden
| | - Daniel Powell
- Evolutionary Ecology, Biology DepartmentLund UniversityLundSweden
- Global Change Ecology, School of Science, Technology and EngineeringUniversity of the Sunshine CoastSippy DownsQLDAustralia
| | - Pablo Salmón
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
| | - Arne Jacobs
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
- Department of Natural ResourcesCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
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27
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Husby A. On the Use of Blood Samples for Measuring DNA Methylation in Ecological Epigenetic Studies. Integr Comp Biol 2020; 60:1558-1566. [PMID: 32835371 PMCID: PMC7742428 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icaa123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing interest in understanding the potential for epigenetic factors to contribute to phenotypic diversity in evolutionary biology. One well studied epigenetic mechanism is DNA methylation, the addition of a methyl group to cytosines, which have the potential to alter gene expression depending on the genomic region in which it takes place. Obtaining information about DNA methylation at genome-wide scale has become straightforward with the use of bisulfite treatment in combination with reduced representation or whole-genome sequencing. While it is well recognized that methylation is tissue specific, a frequent limitation for many studies is that sampling-specific tissues may require sacrificing individuals, something which is generally undesirable and sometimes impossible. Instead, information about DNA methylation patterns in the blood is frequently used as a proxy tissue. This can obviously be problematic if methylation patterns in the blood do not reflect that in the relevant tissue. Understanding how, or if, DNA methylation in blood reflect DNA methylation patterns in other tissues is therefore of utmost importance if we are to make inferences about how observed differences in methylation or temporal changes in methylation can contribute to phenotypic variation. The aim of this review is to examine what we know about the potential for using blood samples in ecological epigenetic studies. I briefly outline some methods by which we can measure DNA methylation before I examine studies that have compared DNA methylation patterns across different tissues and, finally, examine how useful blood samples may be for ecological studies of DNA methylation. Ecological epigenetic studies are in their infancy, but it is paramount for the field to move forward to have detailed information about tissue and time dependence relationships in methylation to gain insights into if blood DNA methylation patterns can be a reliable bioindicator for changes in methylation that generate phenotypic variation in ecologically important traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arild Husby
- Evolutionary Biology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, SE-75236 Uppsala, Sweden
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28
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Geng Y, Chang N, Zhao Y, Qin X, Lu S, Crabbe MJC, Guan Y, Zhang T. Increased epigenetic diversity and transient epigenetic memory in response to salinity stress in Thlaspi arvense. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:11622-11630. [PMID: 33144988 PMCID: PMC7593180 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic diversity could play an important role in adaptive evolution of organisms, especially for plant species occurring in new and stressful environments. Thlaspi arvense (field pennycress), a valuable oilseed crop, is widespread in temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. In this study, we investigated the effect of salinity stress on the epigenetic variation of DNA methylation and epigenetic stress memory in pennycress using methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP) markers. We examined how the status of DNA methylation changes across individuals in response to salinity stress and whether such an effect of maternal stress could be transferred to offspring for one or two generations in nonstressed environments. Our results based on 306 epiloci indicated no consistent change of DNA methylation status in specific epiloci across individuals within the same conditions. In contrast, we found that the epigenetic diversity at population level increased significantly in response to the stimulation of salinity stress; and this "stimulation effect" could be transferred partially in the form of stress memory to at least two generations of offspring in nonstressed environments. In addition, we observed a parallel change in functionally important traits, that is, phenotypic variation was significantly higher in plants grown under salinity stress compared with those of control groups. Taken together, our results provide novel clues for the increased spontaneous epimutation rate in response to stress in plants, of potential adaptive significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupeng Geng
- Institute of Ecology and GeobotanySchool of Ecology and Environmental SciencesYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Na Chang
- Institute of Ecology and GeobotanySchool of Ecology and Environmental SciencesYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Yuewan Zhao
- Institute of Ecology and GeobotanySchool of Ecology and Environmental SciencesYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Xiaoying Qin
- Institute of Ecology and GeobotanySchool of Ecology and Environmental SciencesYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Shugang Lu
- School of Life SciencesYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - M. James C. Crabbe
- Wolfson CollegeOxford UniversityUK
- Institute of Biomedical and Environmental Science & TechnologyUniversity of BedfordshireLutonUK
- School of Life ScienceShanxi UniversityTaiyuanChina
| | - Yabin Guan
- Institute of Ecology and GeobotanySchool of Ecology and Environmental SciencesYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
- School of Life SciencesYunnan UniversityKunmingChina
| | - Ticao Zhang
- College of Chinese Material MedicaYunnan University of Chinese MedicineKunmingChina
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29
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Guevara EE, Lawler RR, Staes N, White CM, Sherwood CC, Ely JJ, Hopkins WD, Bradley BJ. Age-associated epigenetic change in chimpanzees and humans. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190616. [PMID: 32951551 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Methylation levels have been shown to change with age at sites across the human genome. Change at some of these sites is so consistent across individuals that it can be used as an 'epigenetic clock' to predict an individual's chronological age to within a few years. Here, we examined how the pattern of epigenetic ageing in chimpanzees compares with humans. We profiled genome-wide blood methylation levels by microarray for 113 samples from 83 chimpanzees aged 1-58 years (26 chimpanzees were sampled at multiple ages during their lifespan). Many sites (greater than 65 000) showed significant change in methylation with age and around one-third (32%) of these overlap with sites showing significant age-related change in humans. At over 80% of sites showing age-related change in both species, chimpanzees displayed a significantly faster rate of age-related change in methylation than humans. We also built a chimpanzee-specific epigenetic clock that predicted age in our test dataset with a median absolute deviation from known age of only 2.4 years. However, our chimpanzee clock showed little overlap with previously constructed human clocks. Methylation at CpGs comprising our chimpanzee clock showed moderate heritability. Although the use of a human microarray for profiling chimpanzees biases our results towards regions with shared genomic sequence between the species, nevertheless, our results indicate that there is considerable conservation in epigenetic ageing between chimpanzees and humans, but also substantial divergence in both rate and genomic distribution of ageing-associated sites. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolution of the primate ageing process'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine E Guevara
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Richard R Lawler
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USA
| | - Nicky Staes
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.,Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium.,Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Cassandra M White
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Chet C Sherwood
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | | | - William D Hopkins
- Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX 78602, USA
| | - Brenda J Bradley
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
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30
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Guerrero TP, Fickel J, Benhaiem S, Weyrich A. Epigenomics and gene regulation in mammalian social systems. Curr Zool 2020; 66:307-319. [PMID: 32440291 PMCID: PMC7233906 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Social epigenomics is a new field of research that studies how the social environment shapes the epigenome and how in turn the epigenome modulates behavior. We focus on describing known gene-environment interactions (GEIs) and epigenetic mechanisms in different mammalian social systems. To illustrate how epigenetic mechanisms integrate GEIs, we highlight examples where epigenetic mechanisms are associated with social behaviors and with their maintenance through neuroendocrine, locomotor, and metabolic responses. We discuss future research trajectories and open questions for the emerging field of social epigenomics in nonmodel and naturally occurring social systems. Finally, we outline the technological advances that aid the study of epigenetic mechanisms in the establishment of GEIs and vice versa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania P Guerrero
- Department Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, Berlin, D-10315, Germany
- Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, Freiburg, D-79085, Germany
| | - Jörns Fickel
- Department Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, Berlin, D-10315, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, Potsdam, 14476, Germany
| | - Sarah Benhaiem
- Department Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, Berlin, D-10315, Germany
| | - Alexandra Weyrich
- Department Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, Berlin, D-10315, Germany
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31
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Jasinska AJ. Resources for functional genomic studies of health and development in nonhuman primates. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 171 Suppl 70:174-194. [PMID: 32221967 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Revised: 01/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Primates display a wide range of phenotypic variation underlaid by complex genetically regulated mechanisms. The links among DNA sequence, gene function, and phenotype have been of interest from an evolutionary perspective, to understand functional genome evolution and its phenotypic consequences, and from a biomedical perspective to understand the shared and human-specific roots of health and disease. Progress in methods for characterizing genetic, transcriptomic, and DNA methylation (DNAm) variation is driving the rapid development of extensive omics resources, which are now increasingly available from humans as well as a growing number of nonhuman primates (NHPs). The fast growth of large-scale genomic data is driving the emergence of integrated tools and databases, thus facilitating studies of gene functionality across primates. This review describes NHP genomic resources that can aid in exploration of how genes shape primate phenotypes. It focuses on the gene expression trajectories across development in different tissues, the identification of functional genetic variation (including variants deleterious for protein function and regulatory variants modulating gene expression), and DNAm profiles as an emerging tool to understand the process of aging. These resources enable comparative functional genomics approaches to identify species-specific and primate-shared gene functionalities associated with health and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna J Jasinska
- Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.,Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland.,Eye on Primates, Los Angeles, California, USA
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32
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Housman G, Quillen EE, Stone AC. Intraspecific and interspecific investigations of skeletal DNA methylation and femur morphology in primates. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 173:34-49. [PMID: 32170728 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Epigenetic mechanisms influence the development and maintenance of complex phenotypes and may also contribute to the evolution of species-specific phenotypes. With respect to skeletal traits, little is known about the gene regulation underlying these hard tissues or how tissue-specific patterns are associated with bone morphology or vary among species. To begin exploring these topics, this study evaluates one epigenetic mechanism, DNA methylation, in skeletal tissues from five nonhuman primate species which display anatomical and locomotor differences representative of their phylogenetic groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS First, we test whether intraspecific variation in skeletal DNA methylation is associated with intraspecific variation in femur morphology. Second, we identify interspecific differences in DNA methylation and assess whether these lineage-specific patterns may have contributed to species-specific morphologies. Specifically, we use the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip to identify DNA methylation patterns in femur trabecular bone from baboons (n = 28), macaques (n = 10), vervets (n = 10), chimpanzees (n = 4), and marmosets (n = 6). RESULTS Significant differentially methylated positions (DMPs) were associated with a subset of morphological variants, but these likely have small biological effects and may be confounded by other variables associated with morphological variation. Conversely, several species-specific DMPs were identified, and these are found in genes enriched for functions associated with complex skeletal traits. DISCUSSION Overall, these findings reveal that while intraspecific epigenetic variation is not readily associated with skeletal morphology differences, some interspecific epigenetic differences in skeletal tissues exist and may contribute to evolutionarily distinct phenotypes. This work forms a foundation for future explorations of gene regulation and skeletal trait evolution in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genevieve Housman
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA.,Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Ellen E Quillen
- Department of Genetics, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Anne C Stone
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA.,Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
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33
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Anastasiadi D, Piferrer F. Epimutations in Developmental Genes Underlie the Onset of Domestication in Farmed European Sea Bass. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 36:2252-2264. [PMID: 31289822 PMCID: PMC6759067 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Domestication of wild animals induces a set of phenotypic characteristics collectively known as the domestication syndrome. However, how this syndrome emerges is still not clear. Recently, the neural crest cell deficit hypothesis proposed that it is generated by a mildly disrupted neural crest cell developmental program, but clear support is lacking due to the difficulties of distinguishing pure domestication effects from preexisting genetic differences between farmed and wild mammals and birds. Here, we use a farmed fish as model to investigate the role of persistent changes in DNA methylation (epimutations) in the process of domestication. We show that early domesticates of sea bass, with no genetic differences with wild counterparts, contain epimutations in tissues with different embryonic origins. About one fifth of epimutations that persist into adulthood are established by the time of gastrulation and affect genes involved in developmental processes that are expressed in embryonic structures, including the neural crest. Some of these genes are differentially expressed in sea bass with lower jaw malformations, a key feature of domestication syndrome. Interestingly, these epimutations significantly overlap with cytosine-to-thymine polymorphisms after 25 years of selective breeding. Furthermore, epimutated genes coincide with genes under positive selection in other domesticates. We argue that the initial stages of domestication include dynamic alterations in DNA methylation of developmental genes that affect the neural crest. Our results indicate a role for epimutations during the beginning of domestication that could be fixed as genetic variants and suggest a conserved molecular process to explain Darwin’s domestication syndrome across vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafni Anastasiadi
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain.,The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research, Nelson, New Zealand
| | - Francesc Piferrer
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
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34
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Lemoine S, Preis A, Samuni L, Boesch C, Crockford C, Wittig RM. Between-Group Competition Impacts Reproductive Success in Wild Chimpanzees. Curr Biol 2020; 30:312-318.e3. [PMID: 31902731 PMCID: PMC6971690 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.11.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Between-group competition in social animals appears to be a prominent selective pressure shaping the evolution of territoriality and cooperation [1-4]. Evidence for an effect of between-group competition on fitness in territorial species, however, is mostly lacking because of difficulty in measuring between-group competition and its long-term impact [5]. Between-group competition corresponds to a complex set of interactions between neighboring groups, and its intensity seems to depend on the competitive abilities of each interacting group [6, 7]. We tested whether the competitive ability of groups and the pressure exerted by neighboring groups affected the reproductive success of wild female chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus). Using long-term data on four neighboring groups in the Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire, collected over the course of 54 observation years, we measured the competitive ability of habituated groups using the number of mature males and the pressure exerted by non-habituated neighbors with an index of neighbor pressure that combined the frequency of neighboring encounters and related spatial information. Importantly, we found that experiencing low neighbor pressure provides fitness benefits through increased offspring survival and shorter inter-birth intervals. Also, many males in a group are associated with shorter inter-birth intervals. We conclude that high between-group competition hampers fast reproduction and offspring survival when exposure is during the prenatal period. Our findings suggest that having many males in a group results in fitness benefits and that between-group competition should be considered as a potential selective pressure that shaped key social adaptations in the hominoid lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Lemoine
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherche Scientifique en Côte d'Ivoire, 01 BP 1303 Yopougon, Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Anna Preis
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherche Scientifique en Côte d'Ivoire, 01 BP 1303 Yopougon, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
| | - Liran Samuni
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherche Scientifique en Côte d'Ivoire, 01 BP 1303 Yopougon, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
| | - Christophe Boesch
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Catherine Crockford
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherche Scientifique en Côte d'Ivoire, 01 BP 1303 Yopougon, Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roman M Wittig
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherche Scientifique en Côte d'Ivoire, 01 BP 1303 Yopougon, Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
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35
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Fan Y, Vilgalys TP, Sun S, Peng Q, Tung J, Zhou X. IMAGE: high-powered detection of genetic effects on DNA methylation using integrated methylation QTL mapping and allele-specific analysis. Genome Biol 2019; 20:220. [PMID: 31651351 PMCID: PMC6813132 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-019-1813-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Identifying genetic variants that are associated with methylation variation-an analysis commonly referred to as methylation quantitative trait locus (mQTL) mapping-is important for understanding the epigenetic mechanisms underlying genotype-trait associations. Here, we develop a statistical method, IMAGE, for mQTL mapping in sequencing-based methylation studies. IMAGE properly accounts for the count nature of bisulfite sequencing data and incorporates allele-specific methylation patterns from heterozygous individuals to enable more powerful mQTL discovery. We compare IMAGE with existing approaches through extensive simulation. We also apply IMAGE to analyze two bisulfite sequencing studies, in which IMAGE identifies more mQTL than existing approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Fan
- Systems Engineering Institute, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Tauras P Vilgalys
- Departments of Evolutionary Anthropology and Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Shiquan Sun
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Qinke Peng
- Systems Engineering Institute, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Jenny Tung
- Departments of Evolutionary Anthropology and Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Duke University Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Xiang Zhou
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
- Center for Statistical Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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36
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Watson H, Salmón P, Isaksson C. Dynamic changes in DNA methylation during embryonic and postnatal development of an altricial wild bird. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:9580-9585. [PMID: 31534676 PMCID: PMC6745840 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation could shape phenotypic responses to environmental cues and underlie developmental plasticity. Environmentally induced changes in DNA methylation during development can give rise to stable phenotypic traits and thus affect fitness. In the laboratory, it has been shown that the vertebrate methylome undergoes dynamic reprogramming during development, creating a critical window for environmentally induced epigenetic modifications. Studies of DNA methylation in the wild are lacking, yet are essential for understanding how genes and the environment interact to affect phenotypic development and ultimately fitness. Furthermore, our knowledge of the establishment of methylation patterns during development in birds is limited. We quantified genome-wide DNA methylation at various stages of embryonic and postnatal development in an altricial passerine bird, the great tit Parus major. While, there was no change in global DNA methylation in embryonic tissue during the second half of embryonic development, a twofold increase in DNA methylation in blood occurred between 6 and 15 days posthatch. Though not directly comparable, DNA methylation levels were higher in the blood of nestlings compared with embryonic tissue at any stage of prenatal development. This provides the first evidence that DNA methylation undergoes global change during development in a wild bird, supporting the hypothesis that methylation mediates phenotypic development. Furthermore, the plasticity of DNA methylation demonstrated during late postnatal development, in the present study, suggests a wide window during which DNA methylation could be sensitive to environmental influences. This is particularly important for our understanding of the mechanisms by which early-life conditions influence later-life performance. While, we found no evidence for differences in genome-wide methylation in relation to habitat of origin, environmental variation is likely to be an important driver of variation in methylation at specific loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Watson
- Evolutionary Ecology, Biology DepartmentLund UniversityLundSweden
| | - Pablo Salmón
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative MedicineUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowUK
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37
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Rey O, Eizaguirre C, Angers B, Baltazar‐Soares M, Sagonas K, Prunier JG, Blanchet S. Linking epigenetics and biological conservation: Towards a
conservation epigenetics
perspective. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Rey
- CNRS UMR 5244, Interactions Hôtes‐Pathogènes‐Environnements (IHPE) Université de Perpignan Via Domitia Perpignan France
| | - Christophe Eizaguirre
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Queen Mary University of London London UK
| | - Bernard Angers
- Department of Biological Sciences Université de Montréal Montreal QC Canada
| | | | - Kostas Sagonas
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Queen Mary University of London London UK
| | - Jérôme G. Prunier
- Evolution et Diversité Biologique, École Nationale Supérieure de Formation de l'Enseignement Agricole (ENSFEA), CNRS, UPS, UMR5174 Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) Toulouse France
| | - Simon Blanchet
- Evolution et Diversité Biologique, École Nationale Supérieure de Formation de l'Enseignement Agricole (ENSFEA), CNRS, UPS, UMR5174 Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) Toulouse France
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UMR5321, CNRS Université Paul Sabatier (UP) Moulis France
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38
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Taff CC, Campagna L, Vitousek MN. Genome-wide variation in DNA methylation is associated with stress resilience and plumage brightness in a wild bird. Mol Ecol 2019; 28:3722-3737. [PMID: 31330076 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Individuals often differ in their ability to cope with challenging environmental and social conditions. Evidence from model systems suggests that patterns of DNA methylation are associated with variation in coping ability. These associations could arise directly if methylation plays a role in controlling the physiological response to stressors by, among other things, regulating the release of glucocorticoids in response to challenges. Alternatively, the association could arise indirectly if methylation and resilience have a common cause, such as early-life conditions. In either case, methylation might act as a biomarker for coping ability. At present, however, relatively little is known about whether variation in methylation is associated with organismal performance and resilience under natural conditions. We studied genome-wide patterns of DNA methylation in free-living female tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) using methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) and a tree swallow genome that was assembled for this study. We identified areas of the genome that were differentially methylated with respect to social signal expression (breast brightness) and physiological traits (ability to terminate the glucocorticoid stress response through negative feedback). We also asked whether methylation predicted resilience to a subsequent experimentally imposed challenge. Individuals with brighter breast plumage and higher stress resilience had lower methylation at differentially methylated regions across the genome. Thus, widespread differences in methylation predicted both social signal expression and the response to future challenges under natural conditions. These results have implications for predicting individual differences in resilience, and for understanding the mechanistic basis of resilience and its environmental and social mediators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conor C Taff
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.,Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Leonardo Campagna
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.,Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Maren N Vitousek
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.,Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
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39
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Gavery MR, Nichols KM, Berejikian BA, Tatara CP, Goetz GW, Dickey JT, Van Doornik DM, Swanson P. Temporal Dynamics of DNA Methylation Patterns in Response to Rearing Juvenile Steelhead ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) in a Hatchery versus Simulated Stream Environment. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:E356. [PMID: 31075961 PMCID: PMC6563097 DOI: 10.3390/genes10050356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic selection is often implicated as the underlying cause of heritable phenotypic differences between hatchery and wild populations of steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) that also differ in lifetime fitness. Developmental plasticity, which can also affect fitness, may be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation. Our previous study identified significant differences in DNA methylation between adult hatchery- and natural-origin steelhead from the same population that could not be distinguished by DNA sequence variation. In the current study, we tested whether hatchery-rearing conditions can influence patterns of DNA methylation in steelhead with known genetic backgrounds, and assessed the stability of these changes over time. Eyed-embryos from 22 families of Methow River steelhead were split across traditional hatchery tanks or a simulated stream-rearing environment for 8 months, followed by a second year in a common hatchery tank environment. Family assignments were made using a genetic parentage analysis to account for relatedness among individuals. DNA methylation patterns were examined in the liver, a relatively homogeneous organ that regulates metabolic processes and somatic growth, of juveniles at two time points: after eight months of rearing in either a tank or stream environment and after a subsequent year of rearing in a common tank environment. Further, we analyzed DNA methylation in the sperm of mature 2-year-old males from the earlier described treatments to assess the potential of environmentally-induced changes to be passed to offspring. Hepatic DNA methylation changes in response to hatchery versus stream-rearing in yearling fish were substantial, but few persisted after a second year in the tank environment. However, the early rearing environment appeared to affect how fish responded to developmental and environmental signals during the second year since novel DNA methylation differences were identified in the livers of hatchery versus stream-reared fish after a year of common tank rearing. Furthermore, we found profound differences in DNA methylation due to age, irrespective of rearing treatment. This could be due to smoltification associated changes in liver physiology after the second year of rearing. Although few rearing-treatment effects were observed in the sperm methylome, strong family effects were observed. These data suggest limited potential for intergenerational changes, but highlight the importance of understanding the effects of kinship among studied individuals in order to properly analyze and interpret DNA methylation data in natural populations. Our work is the first to study family effects and temporal dynamics of DNA methylation patterns in response to hatchery-rearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mackenzie R Gavery
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, 1122 NE Boat St., Seattle, WA 98105, USA.
| | - Krista M Nichols
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 2725 Montlake Blvd. E., Seattle, WA 98112, USA.
| | - Barry A Berejikian
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 7305 Beach Dr. East, Port Orchard, WA 98366, USA.
| | - Christopher P Tatara
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 7305 Beach Dr. East, Port Orchard, WA 98366, USA.
| | - Giles W Goetz
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, 1122 NE Boat St., Seattle, WA 98105, USA.
| | - Jon T Dickey
- University of Washington, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, 1122 NE Boat St., Seattle, WA 98105, USA.
| | - Donald M Van Doornik
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 7305 Beach Dr. East, Port Orchard, WA 98366, USA.
| | - Penny Swanson
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 2725 Montlake Blvd. E., Seattle, WA 98112, USA.
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40
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Vilgalys TP, Rogers J, Jolly CJ, Baboon Genome Analysis, Mukherjee S, Tung J. Evolution of DNA Methylation in Papio Baboons. Mol Biol Evol 2019; 36:527-540. [PMID: 30521003 PMCID: PMC6389319 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msy227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Changes in gene regulation have long been thought to play an important role in primate evolution. However, although a number of studies have compared genome-wide gene expression patterns across primate species, fewer have investigated the gene regulatory mechanisms that underlie such patterns, or the relative contribution of drift versus selection. Here, we profiled genome-scale DNA methylation levels in blood samples from five of the six extant species of the baboon genus Papio (4-14 individuals per species). This radiation presents the opportunity to investigate DNA methylation divergence at both shallow and deeper timescales (0.380-1.4 My). In contrast to studies in human populations, but similar to studies in great apes, DNA methylation profiles clearly mirror genetic and geographic structure. Divergence in DNA methylation proceeds fastest in unannotated regions of the genome and slowest in regions of the genome that are likely more constrained at the sequence level (e.g., gene exons). Both heuristic approaches and Ornstein-Uhlenbeck models suggest that DNA methylation levels at a small set of sites have been affected by positive selection, and that this class is enriched in functionally relevant contexts, including promoters, enhancers, and CpG islands. Our results thus indicate that the rate and distribution of DNA methylation changes across the genome largely mirror genetic structure. However, at some CpG sites, DNA methylation levels themselves may have been a target of positive selection, pointing to loci that could be important in connecting sequence variation to fitness-related traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tauras P Vilgalys
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC
| | - Jeffrey Rogers
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | - Clifford J Jolly
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY
- Center for the Study of Human Origins, New York University, New York, NY
- New York Consortium for Evolutionary Primatology, New York, NY
| | | | - Sayan Mukherjee
- Department of Statistical Science, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Department of Mathematics, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Department of Computer Science, Duke University, Durham, NC
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Duke University Population Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of Kenya, Karen, Nairobi, Kenya
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41
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Developing individual differences in primate behavior: the role of genes, environment, and their interplay. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2633-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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42
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Paun O, Verhoeven KJ, Richards CL. Opportunities and limitations of reduced representation bisulfite sequencing in plant ecological epigenomics. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 221:738-742. [PMID: 30121954 PMCID: PMC6504643 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Contents Summary 738 I. Introduction 738 II. RRBS loci as genome-wide epigenetic markers 739 III. Exploiting functional annotation of RRBS loci 739 IV. Limitations of RRBS methods for nonmodel species 740 V. Maximising the impact of RRBS in plants 741 VI. Conclusions 741 Acknowledgements 741 SUMMARY: Investigating the features and implications of epigenetic mechanisms across the breadth of organisms and ecosystems is important for understanding the ecological relevance of epigenetics. Several cost-effective reduced representation bisulfite sequencing approaches (RRBS) have been recently developed and applied to different organisms that lack a well annotated reference genome. These new approaches improve the assessment of epigenetic diversity in ecological settings and may provide functional insights. We assess here the opportunities and limitations of RRBS in nonmodel plant species. Well thought out experimental designs that include complementary gene expression studies, and the improvement of genomics resources for the target group, promise to maximize the effect of future RRBS studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ovidiu Paun
- Department for Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Christina L. Richards
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
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43
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Alberts SC, Gaillard J. Social influences on survival and reproduction: Insights from a long-term study of wild baboons. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:47-66. [PMID: 30033518 PMCID: PMC6340732 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
For social species, the environment has two components: physical and social. The social environment modifies the individual's interaction with the physical environment, and the physical environment may in turn impact individuals' social relationships. This interplay can generate considerable variation among individuals in survival and reproduction. Here, I synthesize more than four decades of research on the baboons of the Amboseli basin in southern Kenya to illustrate how social and physical environments interact to affect reproduction and survival. For immature baboons, social behaviour can both mitigate and exacerbate the challenge of survival. Only c. 50% of live-born females and c. 44% of live-born males reach the median age of first reproduction. Variation in pre-adult survival, growth and development is associated with multiple aspects of the social environment. For instance, conspecifics provide direct care and are a major source of social knowledge about food and the environment, but conspecifics can also represent a direct threat to survival through infanticide. In adulthood, both competition (within and between social groups) and cooperative affiliation (i.e. collective action and/or the exchange of social resources such as grooming) are prominent features of baboon social life and have important consequences for reproduction and survival. For instance, adult females with higher social dominance ranks have accelerated reproduction, and adult females that engage in more frequent affiliative social interactions have higher survival throughout adulthood. The early life environment also has important consequences for adult reproduction and survival, as in a number of other bird and mammal species. In seasonal breeders, early life effects often apply to entire cohorts; in contrast, in nonseasonal and highly social species such as baboons, early life effects are more individual-specific, stemming from considerable variation not only in the early physical environment (even if they are born in the same year) but also in the particulars of their social environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan C. Alberts
- Departments of Biology and Evolutionary AnthropologyDuke UniversityDurhamNorth Carolina
- Institute of Primate ResearchNational Museums of KenyaKarenNairobiKenya
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44
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Weyrich A, Lenz D, Fickel J. Environmental Change-Dependent Inherited Epigenetic Response. Genes (Basel) 2018; 10:genes10010004. [PMID: 30583460 PMCID: PMC6356568 DOI: 10.3390/genes10010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications are a mechanism conveying environmental information to subsequent generations via parental germ lines. Research on epigenetic responses to environmental changes in wild mammals has been widely neglected, as well as studies that compare responses to changes in different environmental factors. Here, we focused on the transmission of DNA methylation changes to naive male offspring after paternal exposure to either diet (~40% less protein) or temperature increase (10 °C increased temperature). Because both experiments focused on the liver as the main metabolic and thermoregulation organ, we were able to decipher if epigenetic changes differed in response to different environmental changes. Reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) revealed differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in annotated genomic regions in sons sired before (control) and after the fathers’ treatments. We detected both a highly specific epigenetic response dependent on the environmental factor that had changed that was reflected in genes involved in specific metabolic pathways, and a more general response to changes in outer stimuli reflected by epigenetic modifications in a small subset of genes shared between both responses. Our results indicated that fathers prepared their offspring for specific environmental changes by paternally inherited epigenetic modifications, suggesting a strong paternal contribution to adaptive processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Weyrich
- Evolutionary Genetics (Dept.2), Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Dorina Lenz
- Evolutionary Genetics (Dept.2), Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jörns Fickel
- Evolutionary Genetics (Dept.2), Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany.
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476 Potsdam, Germany.
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Lea AJ, Vockley CM, Johnston RA, Del Carpio CA, Barreiro LB, Reddy TE, Tung J. Genome-wide quantification of the effects of DNA methylation on human gene regulation. eLife 2018; 7:e37513. [PMID: 30575519 PMCID: PMC6303109 DOI: 10.7554/elife.37513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in DNA methylation are involved in development, disease, and the response to environmental conditions. However, not all regulatory elements are functionally methylation-dependent (MD). Here, we report a method, mSTARR-seq, that assesses the causal effects of DNA methylation on regulatory activity at hundreds of thousands of fragments (millions of CpG sites) simultaneously. Using mSTARR-seq, we identify thousands of MD regulatory elements in the human genome. MD activity is partially predictable using sequence and chromatin state information, and distinct transcription factors are associated with higher activity in unmethylated versus methylated DNA. Further, pioneer TFs linked to higher activity in the methylated state appear to drive demethylation of experimentally methylated sites. MD regulatory elements also predict methylation-gene expression relationships across individuals, where they are 1.6x enriched among sites with strong negative correlations. mSTARR-seq thus provides a map of MD regulatory activity in the human genome and facilitates interpretation of differential methylation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda J Lea
- Department of BiologyDuke UniversityNorth CarolinaUnited States
| | - Christopher M Vockley
- Center for Genomic and Computational BiologyDuke University Medical SchoolNorth CarolinaUnited States
- Department of Biostatistics and BioinformaticsDuke University Medical SchoolNorth CarolinaUnited States
| | - Rachel A Johnston
- Department of Evolutionary AnthropologyDuke UniversityNorth CarolinaUnited States
| | | | - Luis B Barreiro
- Department of PediatricsSainte-Justine Hospital Research Centre, University of MontrealMontrealCanada
| | - Timothy E Reddy
- Center for Genomic and Computational BiologyDuke University Medical SchoolNorth CarolinaUnited States
- Department of Biostatistics and BioinformaticsDuke University Medical SchoolNorth CarolinaUnited States
- Program in Computational Biology and BioinformaticsDuke UniversityNorth CarolinaUnited States
| | - Jenny Tung
- Department of BiologyDuke UniversityNorth CarolinaUnited States
- Department of Evolutionary AnthropologyDuke UniversityNorth CarolinaUnited States
- Institute of Primate Research, National Museums of KenyaNairobiKenya
- Duke University Population Research InstituteDuke UniversityNorth CarolinaUnited States
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Snyder-Mackler N, Lea AJ. Functional genomic insights into the environmental determinants of mammalian fitness. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2018; 53:105-112. [PMID: 30142491 PMCID: PMC6296864 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2018.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2018] [Revised: 07/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Both the social and physical environment shape health, reproduction, and survival across many species, and identifying how these effects manifest at the molecular level has long been a priority in medicine and evolutionary biology. The recent rise of functional genomics has enabled researchers to gain new insights into how environmental inputs shape variation in gene regulation, and consequently, downstream organism-level traits. Here, we discuss recent work on this topic, as well as key knowledge gaps. Research in this area spans a wide range of taxa, but we focus our review on mammalian species because of their close evolutionary proximity to humans and because of their relevance for understanding human health. Improving our understanding of how the environment and the genome are connected promises to shed new light on the mechanisms underlying environmentally-induced disease in humans, as well as the evolution of environmental sensitivity more generally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Center for Studies in Demography and Ecology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; Washington National Primate Research Center, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
| | - Amanda J Lea
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
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Ni P, Li S, Lin Y, Xiong W, Huang X, Zhan A. Methylation divergence of invasive Ciona ascidians: Significant population structure and local environmental influence. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:10272-10287. [PMID: 30397465 PMCID: PMC6206186 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The geographical expansion of invasive species usually leads to temporary and/or permanent changes at multiple levels (genetics, epigenetics, gene expression, etc.) to acclimatize to abiotic and/or biotic stresses in novel environments. Epigenetic variation such as DNA methylation is often involved in response to diverse local environments, thus representing one crucial mechanism to promote invasion success. However, evidence is scant on the potential role of DNA methylation variation in rapid environmental response and invasion success during biological invasions. In particular, DNA methylation patterns and possible contributions of varied environmental factors to methylation differentiation have been largely unknown in many invaders, especially for invasive species in marine systems where extremely complex interactions exist between species and surrounding environments. Using the methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP) technique, here we investigated population methylation structure at the genome level in two highly invasive model ascidians, Ciona robusta and C. intestinalis, collected from habitats with varied environmental factors such as temperature and salinity. We found high intrapopulation methylation diversity and significant population methylation differentiation in both species. Multiple analyses, such as variation partitioning analysis, showed that both genetic variation and environmental factors contributed to the observed DNA methylation variation. Further analyses found that 24 and 20 subepiloci were associated with temperature and/or salinity in C. robusta and C. intestinalis, respectively. All these results clearly showed significant methylation divergence among populations of both invasive ascidians, and varied local environmental factors, as well as genetic variation, were responsible for the observed DNA methylation patterns. The consistent findings in both species here suggest that DNA methylation, coupled with genetic variation, may facilitate local environmental adaptation during biological invasions, and DNA methylation variation molded by local environments may contribute to invasion success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Ni
- Research Center for Eco‐Environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Shiguo Li
- Research Center for Eco‐Environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yaping Lin
- Research Center for Eco‐Environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Wei Xiong
- Research Center for Eco‐Environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Xuena Huang
- Research Center for Eco‐Environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Aibin Zhan
- Research Center for Eco‐Environmental SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
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48
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Volkova PY, Geras'kin SA. 'Omic' technologies as a helpful tool in radioecological research. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2018; 189:156-167. [PMID: 29677564 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2018.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Revised: 04/11/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This article presents a brief review of the modern 'omic' technologies, namely genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, as well as the examples of their possible use in radioecology. For each technology, a short description of advances, limitations, and instrumental applications is given. In addition, the review contains examples of successful use of 'omic' technologies in the assessment of biological effects of pollutants in the field conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polina Yu Volkova
- Institute of Radiology and Agroecology, 249032, Kievskoe shosse, 109 km, Obninsk, Russia.
| | - Stanislav A Geras'kin
- Institute of Radiology and Agroecology, 249032, Kievskoe shosse, 109 km, Obninsk, Russia
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Anastasiadi D, Esteve-Codina A, Piferrer F. Consistent inverse correlation between DNA methylation of the first intron and gene expression across tissues and species. Epigenetics Chromatin 2018; 11:37. [PMID: 29958539 PMCID: PMC6025724 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-018-0205-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 228] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA methylation is one of the main epigenetic mechanisms for the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. In the standard model, methylation in gene promoters has received the most attention since it is generally associated with transcriptional silencing. Nevertheless, recent studies in human tissues reveal that methylation of the region downstream of the transcription start site is highly informative of gene expression. Also, in some cell types and specific genes it has been found that methylation of the first intron, a gene feature typically rich in enhancers, is linked with gene expression. However, a genome-wide, tissue-independent, systematic comparative analysis of the relationship between DNA methylation in the first intron and gene expression across vertebrates has not been explored yet. RESULTS The most important findings of this study are: (1) using different tissues from a modern fish, we show a clear genome-wide, tissue-independent quasi-linear inverse relationship between DNA methylation of the first intron and gene expression. (2) This relationship is conserved across vertebrates, since it is also present in the genomes of a model pufferfish, a model frog and different human tissues. Among the gene features, tissues and species interrogated, the first intron's negative correlation with the gene expression was most consistent. (3) We identified more tissue-specific differentially methylated regions (tDMRs) in the first intron than in any other gene feature. These tDMRs have positive or negative correlation with gene expression, indicative of distinct mechanisms of tissue-specific regulation. (4) Lastly, we identified CpGs in transcription factor binding motifs, enriched in the first intron, the methylation of which tended to increase with the distance from the first exon-first intron boundary, with a concomitant decrease in gene expression. CONCLUSIONS Our integrative analysis clearly reveals the important and conserved role of the methylation level of the first intron and its inverse association with gene expression regardless of tissue and species. These findings not only contribute to our basic understanding of the epigenetic regulation of gene expression but also identify the first intron as an informative gene feature regarding the relationship between DNA methylation and gene expression where future studies should be focused.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafni Anastasiadi
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Esteve-Codina
- CNAG-CRG, Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Baldiri i Reixac 4, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Francesc Piferrer
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Marítim de la Barceloneta, 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
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50
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Weyrich A, Jeschek M, Schrapers KT, Lenz D, Chung TH, Rübensam K, Yasar S, Schneemann M, Ortmann S, Jewgenow K, Fickel J. Diet changes alter paternally inherited epigenetic pattern in male Wild guinea pigs. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2018; 4:dvy011. [PMID: 29992049 PMCID: PMC6031029 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvy011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications, of which DNA methylation is the most stable, are a mechanism conveying environmental information to subsequent generations via parental germ lines. The paternal contribution to adaptive processes in the offspring might be crucial, but has been widely neglected in comparison to the maternal one. To address the paternal impact on the offspring's adaptability to changes in diet composition, we investigated if low protein diet (LPD) in F0 males caused epigenetic alterations in their subsequently sired sons. We therefore fed F0 male Wild guinea pigs with a diet lowered in protein content (LPD) and investigated DNA methylation in sons sired before and after their father's LPD treatment in both, liver and testis tissues. Our results point to a 'heritable epigenetic response' of the sons to the fathers' dietary change. Because we detected methylation changes also in the testis tissue, they are likely to be transmitted to the F2 generation. Gene-network analyses of differentially methylated genes in liver identified main metabolic pathways indicating a metabolic reprogramming ('metabolic shift'). Epigenetic mechanisms, allowing an immediate and inherited adaptation may thus be important for the survival of species in the context of a persistently changing environment, such as climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Weyrich
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Street 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - M Jeschek
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Street 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research, Koenigin-Luise-Street 6-8, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - K T Schrapers
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Street 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - D Lenz
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Street 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - T H Chung
- Zymoresearch, EpiQuest, 17062 Murphy Avenue, Irvine, CA 92614, USA
| | - K Rübensam
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Street 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - S Yasar
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Street 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - M Schneemann
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Street 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - S Ortmann
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Street 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - K Jewgenow
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Street 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - J Fickel
- Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Alfred-Kowalke-Street 17, D-10315 Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, Potsdam University, Karl-Liebknecht-Street 24-25, 14476 Potsdam, Germany
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