Signatures of DNA Methylation across Insects Suggest Reduced DNA Methylation Levels in Holometabola.

ABSTRACT: It has been experimentally shown that DNA methylation is involved in the regulation of gene expression and the silencing of transposable element activity in eukaryotes. The variable levels of DNA methylation among different insect species indicate an evolutionarily flexible role of DNA methylation in insects, which due to a lack of comparative data is not yet well-substantiated. Here, we use computational methods to trace signatures of DNA methylation across insects by analyzing transcriptomic and genomic sequence data from all currently recognized insect orders. We conclude that: 1) a functional methylation system relying exclusively on DNA methyltransferase 1 is widespread across insects. 2) DNA methylation has potentially been lost or extremely reduced in species belonging to springtail

SUBMITTER: Provataris P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5915941 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature