Characterization of genome methylation patterns in the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria

  • DNA methylation is a widely conserved epigenetic modification. The analysis of genome-scale DNA methylation patterns in various organisms suggests that major features of animal methylomes are widely conserved. However, based on the variation of DNA methyltransferase genes in invertebrates, it has also been proposed that DNA methylation could provide a molecular mechanism for ecological adaptation. We have now analyzed the methylome of the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria, which represents an organism with a high degree of phenotypic plasticity. Using genome-scale bisulfite sequencing, we show here that the S. gregaria methylome is characterized by CpG- and exon-specific methylation and thus shares two major features with other animal methylomes. In contrast to other invertebrates, however, overall methylation levels were substantially higher and a significant fraction of transposons was methylated. Additionally, genic sequences were densely methylated in a pronounced bimodal pattern, suggesting a role for DNA methylation in the regulation of locust gene expression. Our results thus uncover a unique pattern of genome methylation in locusts and provide an important foundation for investigating the role of DNA methylation in locust phase polyphenism.

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Metadaten
Author:Cassandra Falckenhayn, Bart Boerjan, Günter Raddatz, Marcus FrohmeORCiDGND, Liliane Schoofs, Frank Lyko
URN:urn:nbn:de:kobv:526-opus4-6350
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.080754
ISSN:0022-0949
Parent Title (English):The Journal of Experimental Biology
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Year of Publication:2013
Publishing Institution:Technische Hochschule Wildau
Release Date:2016/07/05
Tag:DNA methylation; Schistocerca gregaria; locust; methylome
Volume:216
First Page:1423
Last Page:1429
Source:C. Falckenhayn et al. Characterization of genome methylation patterns in the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria. Journal of Experimental Biology 2013 216: 1423-1429; doi: 10.1242/jeb.080754
Faculties an central facilities:Fachbereich Ingenieurwesen / Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen (bis 8/2014)
Dewey Decimal Classification:5 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / 57 Biowissenschaften; Biologie / 570 Biowissenschaften; Biologie
Licence (German):Das Dokument ist urheberrechtlich geschützt
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