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Journal article
Between-Generation Phenotypic and Epigenetic Stability in a Clonal Snail
Genome biology and evolution, Vol.12(9), pp.1604-1615
09/01/2020
PMCID: PMC7513791
PMID: 32877512
Abstract
Epigenetic variation might play an important role in generating adaptive phenotypes by underpinning within-generation developmental plasticity, persistent parental effects of the environment (e.g., transgenerational plasticity), or heritable epigenetically based polymorphism. These adaptive mechanisms should be most critical in organisms where genetic sources of variation are limited. Using a clonally reproducing freshwater snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum), we examined the stability of an adaptive phenotype (shell shape) and of DNA methylation between generations. First, we raised three generations of snails adapted to river currents in the lab without current. We showed that habitat-specific adaptive shell shape was relatively stable across three generations but shifted slightly over generations two and three toward a no-current lake phenotype. We also showed that DNA methylation specific to high-current environments was stable across one generation. This study provides the first evidence of stability of DNA methylation patterns across one generation in an asexual animal. Together, our observations are consistent with the hypothesis that adaptive shell shape variation is at least in part determined by transgenerational plasticity, and that DNA methylation provides a potential mechanism for stability of shell shape across one generation.
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Details
- Title
- Between-Generation Phenotypic and Epigenetic Stability in a Clonal Snail
- Creators
- Mark Smithson - Washington State UniversityJennifer L. M. Thorson - Washington State UniversityIngrid Sadler-Riggleman - Washington State UniversityDaniel Beck - Washington State UniversityMichael K. Skinner - Washington State UniversityMark Dybdahl - Washington State University
- Publication Details
- Genome biology and evolution, Vol.12(9), pp.1604-1615
- Academic Unit
- Biological Sciences, School of
- Publisher
- Oxford Univ Press
- Number of pages
- 12
- Grant note
- 50183; 61174 / John Templeton Foundation ES012974 / National Institute of Health; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA
- Identifiers
- 99901080816301842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article