Skip to main content
bioRxiv
  • Home
  • About
  • Submit
  • ALERTS / RSS
Advanced Search
New Results

Epigenetic mediation of the onset of reproduction in a songbird

View ORCID ProfileMelanie Lindner, View ORCID ProfileVeronika N. Laine, Irene Verhagen, Heidi M. Viitaniemi, View ORCID ProfileMarcel E. Visser, Kees van Oers, Arild Husby
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.01.929968
Melanie Lindner
Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW);
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Melanie Lindner
  • For correspondence: m.lindner@nioo.knaw.nl
Veronika N. Laine
Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW);
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Veronika N. Laine
  • For correspondence: v.laine@nioo.knaw.nl
Irene Verhagen
Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW);
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: i.verhagen@nioo.knaw.nl
Heidi M. Viitaniemi
University of Helsinki;
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: hmviit@gmail.com
Marcel E. Visser
Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW);
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for Marcel E. Visser
  • For correspondence: m.visser@nioo.knaw.nl
Kees van Oers
Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW);
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: k.vanoers@nioo.knaw.nl
Arild Husby
Uppsala University
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: arild.husby@ebc.uu.se
  • Abstract
  • Info/History
  • Metrics
  • Supplementary material
  • Data/Code
  • Preview PDF
Loading

Abstract

Climate change significantly impacts natural populations, particularly phenology traits, like the seasonal onset of reproduction in birds. This impact is mainly via plastic responses in phenology traits to changes in the environment, but the molecular mechanism mediating this plasticity remains elusive. Epigenetic modifications can mediate plasticity and consequently constitute promising candidates for mediating phenology traits. Here, we used genome-wide DNA methylation profiles of individual great tit (Parus major) females that we blood sampled repeatedly throughout the breeding season. We demonstrate rapid and directional variation in DNA methylation within the regulatory region of genes known to play key roles in avian reproduction that are in line with observed changes in gene expression in chickens. Our findings provide an important step towards unraveling the molecular mechanism mediating a key life history trait, an essential knowledge-gap for understanding how natural populations may cope with future climate change.

Footnotes

  • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
Back to top
PreviousNext
Posted February 02, 2020.
Download PDF

Supplementary Material

Data/Code
Email

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv.

NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Epigenetic mediation of the onset of reproduction in a songbird
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from bioRxiv
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the bioRxiv website.
Share
Epigenetic mediation of the onset of reproduction in a songbird
Melanie Lindner, Veronika N. Laine, Irene Verhagen, Heidi M. Viitaniemi, Marcel E. Visser, Kees van Oers, Arild Husby
bioRxiv 2020.02.01.929968; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.01.929968
Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
Citation Tools
Epigenetic mediation of the onset of reproduction in a songbird
Melanie Lindner, Veronika N. Laine, Irene Verhagen, Heidi M. Viitaniemi, Marcel E. Visser, Kees van Oers, Arild Husby
bioRxiv 2020.02.01.929968; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.01.929968

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Subject Area

  • Ecology
Subject Areas
All Articles
  • Animal Behavior and Cognition (1641)
  • Biochemistry (2721)
  • Bioengineering (1902)
  • Bioinformatics (10201)
  • Biophysics (4174)
  • Cancer Biology (3202)
  • Cell Biology (4522)
  • Clinical Trials (135)
  • Developmental Biology (2831)
  • Ecology (4447)
  • Epidemiology (2041)
  • Evolutionary Biology (7213)
  • Genetics (5463)
  • Genomics (6793)
  • Immunology (2379)
  • Microbiology (7462)
  • Molecular Biology (2978)
  • Neuroscience (18529)
  • Paleontology (135)
  • Pathology (472)
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology (776)
  • Physiology (1147)
  • Plant Biology (2692)
  • Scientific Communication and Education (679)
  • Synthetic Biology (885)
  • Systems Biology (2840)
  • Zoology (465)