The impact of early physical and social environments on life-long phenotypes is well known. Moreover, we have documented evidence for gene-environment interactions where identical gene variants are associated with dif...The impact of early physical and social environments on life-long phenotypes is well known. Moreover, we have documented evidence for gene-environment interactions where identical gene variants are associated with different phenotypes that are dependent on early life adversity. What are the mechanisms that embed these early life experiences in the genome？ DNA methylation is an enzymatically- catalyzed modification of DNA that serves as a mechanism by which similar sequences acquire cell type identity during cellular differentiation and embryogenesis in the same individual. The hypothesis that will be discussed here proposes that the same mechanism confers environmental-exposure specific identity upon DNA providing a mechanism for embedding environmental experiences in the genome, thus affecting long-term phenotypes. Particularly important is the environment early in life including both the prenatal and postnatal social environments.展开更多
The occurrence of polyploidy,or whole genome duplication,can result in instantaneous speciation.Because new polyploids are immediately reproductively isolated from their non-polyploid congeners,polyploidization has pl...The occurrence of polyploidy,or whole genome duplication,can result in instantaneous speciation.Because new polyploids are immediately reproductively isolated from their non-polyploid congeners,polyploidization has played an important role in the diversification of flowering plants and some vertebrates.Newly formed polyploids must respond to this instantaneous genomic change,which resembles "genome shock" syndrome to survive and reproduce successfully.Epigenetic changes,which do not cause changes to the sequence of DNA,can significantly contribute to the survival of and ultimately to the evolutionary success of new polyploids.Epigenetic regulation,both transcriptional and post-transcriptional,entails changes in DNA methylation,gene status and/or nucleolus dominance.These changes provide effective and flexible ways for a new polyploid to respond quickly to the enormous change in genetic material,to survive and potentially reproduce.We examine and assess certain epigenetic phenomena and possible pathways that may facilitate the evolutionary success of polyploid organisms.展开更多
Social epigenomics is a new field of research that studies how the social environment shapes the epigenome and how in turn the epigenome modulates behavior.We focus on describing known gene-environment interactions(GE...Social epigenomics is a new field of research that studies how the social environment shapes the epigenome and how in turn the epigenome modulates behavior.We focus on describing known gene-environment interactions(GEIs)and epigenetic mechanisms in different mammalian social systems.To illustrate how epigenetic mechanisms integrate GEIs,we highlight examples where epigenetic mechanisms are associated with social behaviors and with their maintenance through neuroendocrine,locomotor,and metabolic responses.We discuss future research trajectories and open questions for the emerging field of social epigenomics in nonmodel and naturally occurring social systems.Finally,we outline the technological advances that aid the study of epigenetic mechanisms in the establishment of GEIs and vice versa.展开更多
基金supported by a grant from the Canadian Institute of Health Research to M.S. M.Ssupported by the Sackler program in epigenetics and psychobiology at McGill University,Canada
文摘The impact of early physical and social environments on life-long phenotypes is well known. Moreover, we have documented evidence for gene-environment interactions where identical gene variants are associated with different phenotypes that are dependent on early life adversity. What are the mechanisms that embed these early life experiences in the genome？ DNA methylation is an enzymatically- catalyzed modification of DNA that serves as a mechanism by which similar sequences acquire cell type identity during cellular differentiation and embryogenesis in the same individual. The hypothesis that will be discussed here proposes that the same mechanism confers environmental-exposure specific identity upon DNA providing a mechanism for embedding environmental experiences in the genome, thus affecting long-term phenotypes. Particularly important is the environment early in life including both the prenatal and postnatal social environments.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2007CB411600)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30870291,30930071)+2 种基金the National Undergraduate Students Research Training Fund of the State Education Ministry,the National Fund for Fostering Talents of Basic Science (J0730652)the Research Training Fund from the Experiment Teaching Center of Life Sciences,YNU,the Project of Higher Education Reform and Practice of Science and Engineering of the State Education Ministry (239)the Scientific Research Foundation for Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars of the State Education Ministry
文摘The occurrence of polyploidy,or whole genome duplication,can result in instantaneous speciation.Because new polyploids are immediately reproductively isolated from their non-polyploid congeners,polyploidization has played an important role in the diversification of flowering plants and some vertebrates.Newly formed polyploids must respond to this instantaneous genomic change,which resembles "genome shock" syndrome to survive and reproduce successfully.Epigenetic changes,which do not cause changes to the sequence of DNA,can significantly contribute to the survival of and ultimately to the evolutionary success of new polyploids.Epigenetic regulation,both transcriptional and post-transcriptional,entails changes in DNA methylation,gene status and/or nucleolus dominance.These changes provide effective and flexible ways for a new polyploid to respond quickly to the enormous change in genetic material,to survive and potentially reproduce.We examine and assess certain epigenetic phenomena and possible pathways that may facilitate the evolutionary success of polyploid organisms.
文摘Social epigenomics is a new field of research that studies how the social environment shapes the epigenome and how in turn the epigenome modulates behavior.We focus on describing known gene-environment interactions(GEIs)and epigenetic mechanisms in different mammalian social systems.To illustrate how epigenetic mechanisms integrate GEIs,we highlight examples where epigenetic mechanisms are associated with social behaviors and with their maintenance through neuroendocrine,locomotor,and metabolic responses.We discuss future research trajectories and open questions for the emerging field of social epigenomics in nonmodel and naturally occurring social systems.Finally,we outline the technological advances that aid the study of epigenetic mechanisms in the establishment of GEIs and vice versa.
