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Sociality and DNA methylation are not evolutionary dependent

ABSTRACT: DNA methylation is an important chromatin modification that is necessary for the structural integrity and proper regulation of the genome for many species. Despite its conservation across the tree of life, little is known about its contribution to complex traits. Reports that differences in DNA methylation between castes in closely related Hymenopteran insects (ants, bees and wasps) contributes to social behaviors has generated hypotheses on the role of DNA methylation in governing social behavior. However, social behavior has evolved multiple times across insecta, and a common role of DNA methylation in social behavior remains outstanding. Using phylogenetic comparative methods we sought to better understand patterns of DNA methylation and social behavior across insects. DNA methylation can be found in social and solitary insects from all orders, except Diptera (flies), which suggests a shared loss of DNA methylation within this order. The lack of DNA methylation is reflected in the absence of the maintenance and de novo DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) 1 and 3, respectively. Interestingly, DNA methylation is found in species without DNMT3. DNA methylation and social behavior (social/solitary) or with division of labor (caste+/caste–) for 123 insect species analyzed from 11 orders are not evolutionary dependent, which is further supported by sequencing of DNA methylomes from 40 species.

ORGANISM(S): Blattella germanica Blattella asahinai Heliothis virescens Blaptica dubia Reticulitermes flavipes Aedes atropalpus Acyrthosiphon pisum Cryptocercus garciai Anastrepha suspensa Pemphigus populicaulis Pemphigus populitransversus Pemphigus obesinymphae Polistes carolina Eublaberus posticus Helicoverpa zea Microplitis demolitor Aedes albopictus Microplitis mediator Aphidius ervi Culex quinquefasciatus Reticulitermes virginicus Chrysodeixis includens Aphis craccivora Rhyparobia maderae Anopheles gambiae Periplaneta americana Aedes aegypti Toxorhynchites amboinensis Pyractomena borealis Copidosoma floridanum

PROVIDER: GSE83497 | GEO | 2017/02/02

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA326247

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Amongst the various different insect groups, there is remarkable diversity in the number and size of wings. However the development of the basic body plan in insects is similar to a large extent. The genes of the hox complex regulate various pathways to bring about the development or modification of different organs. Ubx, a gene of the bithorax hox complex is expressed in the third thoracic segment of insects and is known to specify the fate of wing appendage in that segment.To understand the role of Ubx and how its regulatory mechanism has evolved through the course of evolution we have compared its genome wide targets in different insect orders. The identification of regulatory pathways and the key players Ubx regulates is crucial to understand how it has controlled wing development across insect orders. Our lab has previously identified direct targets of Ubx in Drosophila using ChIP-chip (Agrawal et al, 2011). To further our knowledge on the role of regulation in development and modification of hind wing appendage we have studied the targets in the hind wings of other insects (silk moth; Lepidoptera and honeybee; Hymenoptera) and performed a comparative analysis.To understand the differential development of wing appendages in insects we intend to compare the differential expression of fore and hind wing appendages in Diptera and Lepidoptera. We have employed RNA-seq using by illumina sequencing to identify the genes that are differentially expressed between fore and the hind wing bud of the Bombyx larvae. Only one replicate was performed as the intended study was to validate the differential targets in comparison to ChIP studies and other methods of select candidates. Total RNA was extarcted from wing buds of IV instar Bombyx larvae and sequenced on an illumina sequencer. Wing buds were collected directly in liquid nitrogen and 80 such buds each for fore and hind wing were collected from IV instar larvae. RNA was isolated from them and processed for Library preperation and illumina sequencing. One replicate was done as a supplement to ChIP studies.

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Sociality and DNA methylation are not evolutionary dependent

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