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Epigenetic Inheritance of DNA Methylation Changes in Fish Living in Hydrogen Sulfide-rich Springs

ABSTRACT: Although hydrogen sulfide is toxic to most organisms, a fish, Poecilia mexicana, has adapted to survive in environments with high levels of hydrogen sulfide. The epigenetic changes in response to this environmental stress were examined by assessing DNA methylation alterations in the nucleated red blood cells (RBC) in the fish. In addition to collecting wild males and females from sulfidic and non-sulfidic environments, wild males and females in these environments were collected and moved to a non-sulfidic environment in the laboratory and propagated for two generations in a non-sulfidic environment. We compared epimutations between sexes and field and laboratory populations. The F0 generation sulfidic wild fish were compared to the non-sulfidic wild fish and found to have significant differential DNA methylation regions (DMRs) in the RBC DNA. The F2 generation laboratory fish were also compared between the sulfidic and non-sulfidic populations, and a significant number of DMRs were also identified. The DMRs have stable generational inheritance in the absence of the sulfidic environment. The DMRs in the F0 generation wild fish had an over 80% overlap with the F2 generation laboratory non-sulfidic environment propagated fish. This is one of the first examples of epigenetic generational stability after the removal of an environmental stressor. The DMR associated genes were found to be relevant to sulfur toxicity and metabolism processes.

ORGANISM(S): Poecilia mexicana

PROVIDER: GSE157730 | GEO | 2020/12/09

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:The retention of a nucleus in the mature state of fish red blood cells (RBCs), and the ability to easily collect and manipulate blood in non-terminal experiments, makes it an ideal tissue on which to study the cellular stress response in fish. Through the use of the cGRASP 16K salmonid microarray, we are currently investigating differences in RBC global gene transcription in fish held under control conditions (12C) and exposed to heat stress (one hour at 25C followed by recovery at 12C). Repeated blood sampling (via a dorsal aorta cannula) enables us to examine the individual stress response over time. Samples were taken pre-heat stress (representing individual control) and at 4 and 24 hours post heat stress (representing early and late transcriptional regulation). A total of ~3000 features had significant signal when hybridized with RBC RNA derived targets and cannulation did not have a significant effect on RBC mRNA expression at the investigated time points. Genes involved in the stress response, immune response, and apoptosis were among those showing the highest dysregulation during both early and late transcriptional regulation. Additionally, genes related to the differentiation and development of blood cells were upregulated at the twenty-four hour time point. This study enables a broader understanding of the mechanisms underpinning the stress response in fish and the discovery of novel genes that are regulated in a stress specific manner. Moreover, salmonid transcripts that are consistently dysregulated in blood in response to heat stress are potential candidates of non-lethal biomarkers of exposure to this particular stressor. Two condition experiment, control (11C) and heat stressed fish (one hour at 25C followed by return to 11C). Six fish in each treatment. 3 repeated samples taken from each individual at time 0, 4 hours post heat stress and 24 hours. Common reference design used, with all experimental samples (control or heat stress) combined with reference pool RBC RNA on each array.

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Epigenetic Inheritance of DNA Methylation Changes in Fish Living in Hydrogen Sulfide-rich Springs

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