Genome-wide demethylation and targeted remethylation during metamorphosis in the jewel wasp Nasonia vitripennis.

ABSTRACT: DNA methylation plays a critical regulatory role during insect development, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we provide a comprehensive profile of DNA methylation dynamics across the developmental stages of the parasitoid wasp Nasonia vitripennis, a key insect model with functional methylation machinery. Using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing, we identify stage-specific methylation levels, including substantial genome-wide demethylation during the embryonic-to-larval transition and remethylation during subsequent metamorphic stages. Differential methylation analyses reveal significant enrichment of developmentally relevant Gene Ontology terms, highlighting roles in gastrulation, embryogenesis, larval development, regionalisation and morphogenesis. Analysis of

SUBMITTER: Thomas CL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12696957 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature