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Evolution of DNA Methylation across Insects.

Adam J Bewick1, Kevin J Vogel2, Allen J Moore1

  • 1Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

Molecular Biology and Evolution
|December 28, 2016
PubMed
Summary

DNA methylation is widespread in insects but not linked to sociality. Its presence and enzymatic machinery vary significantly across insect orders, suggesting diverse regulatory roles beyond social evolution.

Keywords:
DNA methylationmolecular evolution.phylogenetic comparisonssocial behaviorwhole genome bisulfite sequencing

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Area of Science:

  • Epigenetics
  • Insect Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • DNA methylation is crucial for gene regulation in eukaryotes and is hypothesized to drive plastic traits like insect sociality.
  • However, DNA methylation patterns and their evolutionary significance in insects remain largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To document DNA methylation patterns across diverse insect orders.
  • To investigate the correlation between DNA methylation and the presence of underlying enzymatic machinery.
  • To test the hypothesis that DNA methylation facilitates the evolution of sociality in insects.

Main Methods:

  • Surveyed DNA methylation patterns across a wide range of insect orders.
  • Utilized whole-genome bisulfite sequencing to analyze methylation levels.
  • Examined the evolutionary history of DNA methyltransferase genes (e.g., DNMT1).
  • Performed phylogenetically corrected comparisons to assess the association with sociality.

Main Results:

  • DNA methylation was detected in most insect orders, with notable exceptions like Diptera.
  • Significant variations in DNA methylation levels were observed across orders, with Hymenoptera showing low levels and Blattodea exhibiting diverse patterns.
  • The enzymatic machinery for DNA methylation was not always concordant with its presence, and gene duplication events in DNMT1 suggest alternative pathways.
  • No evolutionary association was found between DNA methylation and the presence of sociality.

Conclusions:

  • DNA methylation is a widespread epigenetic mechanism in insects with diverse patterns and regulatory machinery.
  • The study did not find evidence supporting DNA methylation as a driver of social evolution in insects.
  • Further functional studies are needed to fully understand the role of DNA methylation in insect evolution.