Environmental enrichment induces intergenerational behavioural and epigenetic effects on fish

Abstract

Parental effects influence offspring phenotypes through pre‐ and post‐natal routes but little is known about their molecular basis, and therefore their adaptive significance. Epigenetic modifications, which control gene expression without changes in the DNA sequence and are influenced by the environment, may contribute to parental effects. We investigated the effects of environmental enrichment on the behaviour, metabolic rate and brain DNA methylation patterns of parents and offspring of the highly inbreed mangrove killifish (Kryptolebias marmoratus). Parental fish reared in enriched environments had lower cortisol levels, lower metabolic rates and were more active and neophobic than those reared in barren environments. They also differed in 1,854 methylated cytosines (DMCs). Offspring activity and neophobia were determined by the parental environment. Among the DMCs of the parents, 98 followed the same methylation patterns in the offspring, three of which were significantly influenced by parental environments irrespective of their own rearing environment. Our results suggest that parental environment influences the behaviour and, to some extent, the brain DNA methylation patterns of the offspring.

Genome-Wide Epigenomic Stress Response in the European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus Labrax, L.)

“…Other studies reported similar mapping e ciencies, but reported percentages of mapping for unique best hits that were generally lower. For example, in Kryptolebias marmoratus, Berbel-Filho et al [43] reported a mean mapping e ciency of 74.2% but 61.1% unique best hits while, in this study, this latter percentage reached 73.0%. This re ects a more robust mapping of the DMCs we detected and signi cantly enlarge the breadth of the sites that can con dently exploit to retrieve functional information.…”

“…Their use and thus sacri ce of individuals cannot be ruled out. Actually, methylation differences among full brain or brain areas have been rarely studied in sh, mostly in zebra sh [194], but recently in a tilapia [48], a goby [56], and a killi sh [43].…”

Genome-wide epigenomic stress response in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, L.)

“…Their use and thus sacrifice of individuals cannot be ruled out. Actually, methylation differences among full brain or brain areas have been rarely studied in fish, mostly in zebrafish [194], but recently in a tilapia [48], a goby [56], and a killifish [43].…”

“…This contrasts with the over-increasing interest to investigate epigenomic variation in teleosts (e.g. zebrafish: Chatterjee et al 2016; Olsvik et al 2019; medaka: Wang and Bhandari 2019; tongue sole: Shao et al 2014; killifish: Berbel-Filho et al 2020; salmonids: Le Luyer et al 2017; Boltana et al 2018; Gavery et al 2018, 2019; stickleback: Metzger and Schulte 2017, 2018; Heckwolf et al 2020; tilapias: Wan et al 2016; Hilliard et al 2019; carp: Zhang et al 2019; guppy: Hu et al 2018; striped bass: Woods et al 2018; wrasse: Todd et al 2019; goby: Sommerville et al 2019). Furthermore, documenting more directly the epigenomics of the stress axis/network also remains scarce (Uren-Webster et al 2018), while Li and Leatherland (2013) or Faught et al (2016) asked for greater attention on this topic.…”

Genome-wide epigenomic stress response in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, L.)

“…Their use and thus sacri ce of individuals cannot be ruled out. Actually, methylation differences among full brain or brain areas have been rarely studied in sh, mostly in zebra sh [195], but recently in a tilapia [48], a goby [56], and a killi sh [43].…”