Alvarado Sebastian, Fernald Russell D, Storey Kenneth B, Szyf Moshe
*Stanford University, Gilbert Biology #314, 371 Serra Mall, Palo Alto CA 940305; Carleton University, Steacie Building #507, 1125 Colonel By Ottawa Ontario, K1S5B6; McGill University, McIntyre Medical Building #1309, 3655 Sir William Osler,Montreal, Quebec H3G1Y6
*Stanford University, Gilbert Biology #314, 371 Serra Mall, Palo Alto CA 940305; Carleton University, Steacie Building #507, 1125 Colonel By Ottawa Ontario, K1S5B6; McGill University, McIntyre Medical Building #1309, 3655 Sir William Osler,Montreal, Quebec H3G1Y6.
Integr Comp Biol. 2014 Jul;54(1):68-76. doi: 10.1093/icb/icu034. Epub 2014 May 10.
An organism's ability to adapt to its environment depends on its ability to regulate and maintain tissue specific, temporal patterns of gene transcription in response to specific environmental cues. Epigenetic mechanisms are responsible for many of the intricacies of a gene's regulation that alter expression patterns without affecting the genetic sequence. In particular, DNA methylation has been shown to have an important role in regulating early development and in some human diseases. Within these domains, DNA methylation has been extensively characterized over the past 60 years, but the discovery of its role in regulating behavioral outcomes has led to renewed interest in its potential roles in animal behavior and phenotypic plasticity. The conservation of DNA methylation across the animal kingdom suggests a possible role in the plasticity of genomic responses to environmental cues in natural environments. Here, we review the historical context for the study of DNA methylation, its function and mechanisms, and provide examples of gene/environment interactions in response to social and seasonal cues. Finally, we discuss useful tools to interrogate and dissect the function of DNA methylation in non-model organisms.
生物体适应环境的能力取决于其响应特定环境线索来调节和维持组织特异性、基因转录时间模式的能力。表观遗传机制负责基因调控的许多复杂之处，这些机制改变表达模式而不影响遗传序列。特别是，DNA甲基化已被证明在调节早期发育和某些人类疾病中起重要作用。在这些领域中，DNA甲基化在过去60年中已得到广泛表征，但它在调节行为结果方面作用的发现引发了对其在动物行为和表型可塑性中潜在作用的新兴趣。动物界DNA甲基化的保守性表明其在自然环境中基因组对环境线索反应的可塑性中可能发挥作用。在这里，我们回顾了DNA甲基化研究的历史背景、其功能和机制，并提供了响应社会和季节线索的基因/环境相互作用的例子。最后，我们讨论了用于探究和剖析非模式生物中DNA甲基化功能的有用工具。
