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Updated: Sep 15, 2025
08:10
Environmentally Induced Heritable Changes in Flax
Published on: January 26, 2011
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Complementary genetic and epigenetic changes facilitate rapid adaptation to multiple global change stressors
Reid S Brennan1,2, James A deMayo3, Michael Finiguerra4
1Division of Marine Ecology-Marine Evolutionary Ecology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Kiel 24148, Germany.
Summary
Marine copepods evolved under global change showed distinct genetic and epigenetic responses. Epigenetic changes, particularly DNA methylation, played a complementary role to genetic adaptation, aiding resilience.
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Evolutionary biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Global change challenges marine populations.
- Adaptation and acclimation are key resilience mechanisms.
- The role of epigenetics in long-term adaptation is poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate interactions between genetic and epigenetic variation during adaptation.
- Determine the role of epigenetics in population resilience to global change.
- Analyze epigenomic, genomic, and transcriptomic responses in *Acartia tonsa*.
Main Methods:
- Experimental evolution of *Acartia tonsa* for 25 generations.
- Exposure to simulated ocean acidification and warming.
- Measurement of epigenomic, genomic, and transcriptomic changes.
Main Results:
- Significant epigenomic and genomic divergence observed between treatments.
- Epigenomic divergence focused on stress response and transposable element regulation.
- Inverse relationship between genetic and epigenetic divergence, with distinct genomic locations.
Conclusions:
- Unique and complementary genetic and epigenetic mechanisms promote resilience.
- Epigenetic changes may facilitate phenotypic adaptation.
- Epigenetic variation is crucial for long-term adaptation to global change.
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