Role of epigenetics in adaptive evolution of an asexual snail
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Potamopyrgus antipodarum
PROVIDER: GSE99912 | GEO | 2017/08/18
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA390070
REPOSITORIES: GEO
Similar Datasets
Project description:We examined adaptive morphological divergence and epigenetic variation in genetically impoverished asexual populations of a freshwater snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum from distinct environments. These populations exhibit environment-specific adaptive divergence in shell shape and significant genome wide DNA methylation differences among differentially adapted lake and fast water flow river populations. The epigenetic variation correlated with adaptive phenotypic variation in rapidly adapting asexual animal populations. This provides one of the first examples of environmentally-driven differences in epigenetics that associates with adaptive phenotypic divergence.
2017-08-18 | GSE93836 | GEO
Project description:We examined adaptive morphological divergence and epigenetic variation in genetically impoverished asexual populations of a freshwater snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum from distinct environments. These populations exhibit environment-specific adaptive divergence in shell shape and significant genome wide DNA methylation differences among differentially adapted lake and fast water flow river populations. The epigenetic variation correlated with adaptive phenotypic variation in rapidly adapting asexual animal populations. This provides one of the first examples of environmentally-driven differences in epigenetics that associates with adaptive phenotypic divergence.
2017-08-18 | GSE99911 | GEO
Project description:Role of epigenetics in adaptive evolution of an asexual snail
| PRJNA390070 | ENA
Project description:In neo-Darwinian theory, adaptation results from a response to selection on relatively slowly accumulating genetic variation. However, more rapid adaptive responses are possible if selectable or plastic phenotypic variation is produced by epigenetic differences in gene expression. This rapid path to adaptation may prove particularly important when genetic variation is lacking, such as in small, bottlenecked, or asexual populations. To examine the potential for an epigenetic contribution to adaptive variation, we examined morphological divergence and epigenetic variation in genetically impoverished asexual populations of a freshwater snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, from distinct habitats (two lakes versus two rivers). These populations exhibit habitat specific differences in shell shape, and these differences are consistent with adaptation to water current speed. Between these same habitats, we also found significant genome wide DNA methylation differences. The differences between habitats were an order of magnitude greater than the differences between replicate sites of the same habitat. These observations suggest one possible mechanism for the expression of adaptive shell shape differences between habitats involves environmentally induced epigenetic differences. This provides a potential explanation for the capacity of this asexual snail to spread by adaptive evolution or plasticity to different environments.
| S-EPMC5658341 | biostudies-literature
Project description:This SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below. Refer to individual Series
2013-11-28 | E-GEOD-52787 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Epigenetic variation has the potential to control environmentally dependent development and contribute to phenotypic responses to local environments. Environmental epigenetic studies of sexual organisms confirm the responsiveness of epigenetic variation, which should be even more important when genetic variation is lacking. A previous study of an asexual snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, demonstrated that different populations derived from a single clonal lineage differed in both shell phenotype and methylation signature when comparing lake versus river populations. Here, we examine methylation variation among lakes that differ in environmental disturbance and pollution histories. The differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs) identified among the different lake comparisons suggested a higher number of DMRs and variation between rural Lake 1 and one urban Lake 2 and between the two urban Lakes 2 and 3, but limited variation between the rural Lake 1 and urban Lake 3. DMR genomic characteristics and gene associations were investigated. Observations suggest there is no effect of geographic distance or any consistent pattern of DMRs between urban and rural lakes. Environmental factors may influence epigenetic response.
2019-09-27 | GSE133502 | GEO
Project description:The prevailing theory for the molecular basis of evolution involves genetic mutations that ultimately generate the heritable phenotypic variation on which natural selection acts. However, epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of phenotypic variation may also play an important role in evolutionary change. A growing number of studies have demonstrated the presence of epigenetic inheritance in a variety of different organisms that can persist for hundreds of generations. The possibility that epigenetic changes could accumulate over macroevolutionary time has been considered, but not yet seldom been tested empirically. The current study was designed to compare epigenetic changes among several closely related species of Darwin’s finches, a well-known example of adaptive radiation. Erythrocyte DNA was obtained from five species of sympatric Darwin's finches that vary in phylogenetic relatedness. Genome wide alterations in genetic mutations using copy number variation (CNV) were compared to epigenetic alterations associated with differential DNA methylation regions (epimutations). Epimutations were more common than genetic CNV mutations among the five species; furthermore, the number of epimutations increased monotonically with phylogenetic distance. Interestingly, the number of genetic CNV mutations did not consistently increase with phylogenetic distance. The number, chromosomal locations, regional clustering, and lack of overlap of epimutations and genetic mutations suggests that epigenetic changes are distinct and that they correlate with the evolutionary history of Darwin’s finches. The potential functional significance of the epimutations was explored by comparing their locations on the genome to the location of evolutionarily important genes and cellular pathways in birds. Specific epimutations were associated with genes related to the bone morphogenic protein (BMP), toll receptor, and melanogenesis signaling pathways. Species- specific epimutations were significantly over-represented in these pathways. Since environmental factors are known to rapidly alter heritable changes in the epigenome, it is possible that epigenetic changes have played a contributing role in the molecular basis of the evolution of Darwin's finches.
2014-06-10 | GSE58334 | GEO
Project description:This SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
2021-04-21 | GSE137604 | GEO
Project description:This SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
2014-12-01 | GSE50889 | GEO
Project description:This SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
2014-07-01 | GSE55759 | GEO