Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance Under Environmental Stress by Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Profiling in Cyanobacterium

Abstract

Epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation are well known as connected with many important biological processes. Rapid accumulating evidence shows environmental stress can generate particular defense epigenetic changes across generations in eukaryotes. This transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in animals and plants has gained interest over the last years. Cyanobacteria play very crucial role in the earth, and as the primary producer they can adapt to nearly all diverse environments. However, few knowledge about the genome wide epigenetic information such as methylome information in cyanobacteria, especially under any environment stress, was reported so far. In this study we profiled the genome-wide cytosine methylation from a model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, and explored the possibility of transgenerational epigenetic process in this ancient single-celled prokaryote by comparing the DNA methylomes among normal nitrogen medium cultivation, nitrogen starvation for 72 h and nitrogen recovery for about 12 generations. Our results shows that DNA methylation patterns in nitrogen starvation and nitrogen recovery are much more similar with each other, significantly different from that of the normal nitrogen. This study reveals the difference in global DNA methylation pattern of cyanobacteria between normal and nutrient stress conditions and reports the evidence of transgenerational epigenetic process in cyanobacteria. The results of this study may contribute to a better understanding of epigenetic regulation in prokaryotic adaptation to and survive in the ever changing environment.

Sensitivity of freshwater species under single and multigenerational exposure to seawater intrusion

“…raciborskii), we observed that this species was one of the most sensitive freshwater species to increased salinity; however, after multigenerational exposure to low levels of salinity, the effective conductivities more than doubled. Cyanobacteria can adapt to nearly all environments and, as reported above for daphnids, epigenetic traits might also be underlying that success [77]. For instance, 72 h of nutrient depletion in the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis were enough to induce DNA methylation in a partially inheritable fashion [77].…”

“…Cyanobacteria can adapt to nearly all environments and, as reported above for daphnids, epigenetic traits might also be underlying that success [77]. For instance, 72 h of nutrient depletion in the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis were enough to induce DNA methylation in a partially inheritable fashion [77]. Though salinity proved to be a limiting factor on the population growth of Cy.…”

Parental stressor exposure simultaneously conveys both adaptive and maladaptive larval phenotypes through epigenetic inheritance in the zebrafish (Danio rerio)

“…As noted above, transgenerational effects inherited without induction of any change in DNA sequence have received considerable attention during the past two decades (Burggren, 2016;Hu et al, 2018;Inbar-Feigenberg et al, 2013;Jablonka and Raz, 2009). The study of transgenerational epigenetic effects had been linked mostly with maladaptive implications in human-focused disciplines such as medicine (Baccarelli et al, 2010).…”

Cytosine N4-Methylation via M.Ssp6803II Is Involved in the Regulation of Transcription, Fine- Tuning of DNA Replication and DNA Repair in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

“…PCC 7120 (Matveyev et al, 2001; Elhai, 2015). There are some hints that the cyanobacterial methylome could be modified in response to certain environmental cues (Walworth et al, 2017; Hu et al, 2018), but the overall role of DNA methylation beyond RM systems has not been studied in cyanobacteria so far.…”