Epigenetic inheritance and plasticity: The responsive germline

Jablonka, Eva

doi:10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2012.08.014

Cited by 180 publications

(128 citation statements)

References 79 publications

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“…For example, DNA-methylation can respond to environmental challenges (such as stress) and can be transgenerationally stable (Guerrero-Bosagna and Skinner, 2014;Jablonka, 2013). In the same brain samples as those used for gene expression, we also isolated mRNA and used …”

Section: Gene Expression and Epigeneticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is evolution of domestication driven by tameness? A selective review with focus on chickens

Agnvall

Bélteky

Katajamaa

et al. 2018

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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Domestication of animals offers unique possibilities to study evolutionary changes caused by similar selection pressures across a range of species. Animals from separate genera tend to develop a suite of phenotypic alterations referred to as "the domesticated phenotype". This involves changes in appearance, including loss of pigmentation, and alterations in body size and proportions. Furthermore, effects on reproduction and behaviour are typical. It is hypothesized that this recurring phenotype may be secondary effects of the increased tameness that is an inevitable first step in the domestication of any species. We first provide a general overview of observations and experiments from different species and then review in more detail a project attempting to recreate the initial domestication of chickens. Starting from an outbred population of Red Junglefowl, ancestors of all modern chickens, divergent lines were selected based on scores in a standardized fear-of-human test applied to all birds at 12 weeks of age. Up to the eighth selected generation, observations have been made on correlated effects of this selection on various phenotypes. The fear score had a significant heritability and was genetically correlated to several other behavioural traits. Furthermore, low-fear birds were larger at hatch, grew faster, laid larger eggs, had a modified metabolism and increased feed efficiency, had modified social behaviour and reduced brain size. Selection affected gene expression and DNAmethylation in the brains, but the genetic and epigenetic effects were not specifically associated with stress pathways. Further research should be focused on unraveling the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying the correlated side-effects of reduced fear of humans.

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Section: Gene Expression and Epigeneticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is evolution of domestication driven by tameness? A selective review with focus on chickens

Agnvall

Bélteky

Katajamaa

et al. 2018

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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“…2013; Medrano et al. 2014); and (3) increasing evidence showing that epigenetic mechanisms are involved in phenotypic plasticity (Herrera and Bazaga 2013; Jablonka 2013; Zhang et al. 2013), which in turn plays a facilitating role in the colonization of fluctuating environments (Herrera et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic and epigenetic divergence between disturbed and undisturbed subpopulations of a Mediterranean shrub: a 20‐year field experiment

Herrera

Bazaga

2016

Ecology and Evolution

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Little is known on the potential of ecological disturbance to cause genetic and epigenetic changes in plant populations. We take advantage of a long‐term field experiment initiated in 1986 to study the demography of the shrub Lavandula latifolia, and compare genetic and epigenetic characteristics of plants in two adjacent subplots, one experimentally disturbed and one left undisturbed, 20 years after disturbance. Experimental setup was comparable to an unreplicated ‘Before‐After‐Control‐Impact’ (BACI) design where a single pair of perturbed and control areas were compared. When sampled in 2005, plants in the two subplots had roughly similar ages, but they had established in contrasting environments: dense conspecific population (‘Undisturbed’ subpopulation) versus open area with all conspecifics removed (‘Disturbed’ subpopulation). Plants were characterized genetically and epigenetically using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and two classes of methylation‐sensitive AFLP (MSAP) markers. Subpopulations were similar in genetic diversity but differed in epigenetic diversity and multilocus genetic and epigenetic characteristics. Epigenetic divergence between subpopulations was statistically unrelated to genetic divergence. Bayesian clustering revealed an abrupt linear boundary between subpopulations closely coincident with the arbitrary demarcation line between subplots drawn 20 years back, which supports that genetic and epigenetic divergence between subpopulations was caused by artificial disturbance. There was significant fine‐scale spatial structuring of MSAP markers in both subpopulations, which in the Undisturbed one was indistinguishable from that of AFLP markers. Genetic differences between subpopulations could be explained by divergent selection alone, while the concerted action of divergent selection and disturbance‐driven appearance of new methylation variants in the Disturbed subpopulation is proposed to explain epigenetic differences. This study provides the first empirical evidence to date suggesting that relatively mild disturbances could leave genetic and epigenetic signatures on the next adult generation of long‐lived plants.

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“…Since the formulation of the Modern Synthesis the theory holds that the environment is limited in its contribution to the evolutionary course of action -it affects selection, but not the degree of variation [1,2]. However, recent discoveries in epigenetics suggest that the environment may influence variability as well [1].…”

Section: Overview Of Transgenerational Inheritancementioning

confidence: 99%

Guest list or black list: heritable small RNAs as immunogenic memories

Rechavi

2014

Trends in Cell Biology

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Small RNA-mediated gene silencing plays a pivotal role in genome immunity by recognizing and eliminating viruses and transposons which otherwise may colonize the genome. However, this can be challenging since individual genomic parasites are highly diverse, and employ multiple immune evasion techniques. In this review, I discuss a new theory proposing that the integrity of the germline is maintained by transgenerationally-transmitted RNA "memories" that record ancestral gene expression patterns, and delineate "Self" from "Foreign" sequences. To maintain such recollection two tactics are employed in parallel: "black listing" of invading nucleic acids, and "guest listing" of endogenous genes. Studies in a number of organisms have shown that this memorization is used by the next generation small RNAs to act as "Inherited Vaccines" that ambush invading elements, or as "Inherited Licenses" that grant the transcription of autogenous sequences. KeywordsSmall RNA; Transgenerational Inheritance; Inherited Immunity; Self Vs. Non-Self; "Inherited Vaccines" Overview of transgenerational inheritanceEvolution progresses through an interplay between two major forces, selection and variation. Since the formulation of the Modern Synthesis the theory holds that the environment is limited in its contribution to the evolutionary course of action -it affects selection, but not the degree of variation [1,2]. However, recent discoveries in epigenetics suggest that the environment may influence variability as well [1]. If the parental environment is predictive of the conditions that the progeny will face (often for sessile or short-lived organisms), epigenetic responses can change the output of the encoded genetic information in an adaptive manner [3]. For example, the water flea Daphnia changes its normal developmental course and develops a "helmet" that protects it from predators, if it is born to a mother that survived a similar attack [4].Correspondence to: odedrechavi@gmail.com. Over the years, controversy surrounded the study of environmentally affected transgenerational inheritance. Today, an improved understanding of epigenetic mechanisms at the molecular level has provided a logical background to explain how, heretically, an adaptive acquired trait could become heritable [5]. Several epigenetic mechanisms could regulate the expression of relevant genes during transgenerational inheritance including DNA methylation, histone modification, and transmission of regulatory RNAs. Moreover, in many organisms, these pathways appear to be interconnected [5][6][7][8]. Europe PMC Funders GroupThis review will concentrate on recent discoveries that establish a role for small RNAs in transgenerational transmission of acquired defense. Furthermore, exciting examples of RNA-mediated non-Mendelian genetic effects will be discussed, along with their possible implications for the study of evolution and immunology. RNA-mediated gene silencing and inheritanceSince the original discovery that small RNAs derived from exogenously-provided dou...

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Epigenetic inheritance and plasticity: The responsive germline

Cited by 180 publications

References 79 publications

Is evolution of domestication driven by tameness? A selective review with focus on chickens

Is evolution of domestication driven by tameness? A selective review with focus on chickens

Genetic and epigenetic divergence between disturbed and undisturbed subpopulations of a Mediterranean shrub: a 20‐year field experiment

Guest list or black list: heritable small RNAs as immunogenic memories

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