Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 11, 2026
08:50
A Murine Model of Fetal Exposure to Maternal Inflammation to Study the Effects of Acute Chorioamnionitis on Newborn Intestinal Development
Published on: June 24, 2020
4.2K
Microbial communities experienced during early development shape the host immune system and epigenome.
Amy L Tan1, Stephanie F Hendricks1, Elliana E Carter1
1Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
Iscience
|November 17, 2025
Summary
Early life environments shape marine organism development. Exposure to microbes and heat during embryogenesis altered sea urchin epigenomes, immune systems, and development.
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Developmental biology
- Environmental epigenetics
Background:
- Early life environments can induce adaptive developmental plasticity.
- Elevated temperatures and microbial loads impact marine organisms' physiology and immune systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how manipulated temperatures and microbial environments during embryogenesis affect the epigenome and immune system of purple sea urchins.
- To understand the influence of early developmental conditions on larval morphology, immune cell development, and molecular phenotypes.
Main Methods:
- Experimentally manipulated seawater temperatures and microbial richness during purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) embryogenesis.
- Analyzed changes in larval morphology, immune cell development, and epigenomic profiles (chromatin accessibility).
- Quantified gene expression to identify differentially expressed genes.
Main Results:
- High microbial richness increased chromatin accessibility, particularly in promoter regions.
- Elevated temperature altered fewer chromatin regions but was linked to more differentially expressed genes.
- Larvae exposed to high microbial richness showed delayed immune system development.
Conclusions:
- Early developmental environments significantly influence whole-organism and molecular phenotypes in marine invertebrates.
- Early microbial exposure can alter the host immune system and epigenome, impacting adaptive plasticity.
- Understanding these early-life effects is crucial for predicting marine organism responses to environmental change.
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