TY - JOUR
T1 - DNA methylation in social insects
T2 - How epigenetics can control behavior and longevity
AU - Yan, Hua
AU - Bonasio, Roberto
AU - Simola, Daniel F.
AU - Liebig, Juergen
AU - Berger, Shelley L.
AU - Reinberg, Danny
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved.
PY - 2015/1/7
Y1 - 2015/1/7
N2 - In eusocial insects, genetically identical individuals can exhibit striking differences in behavior and longevity. The molecular basis of such phenotypic plasticity is of great interest to the scientific community. DNA methylation, as well as other epigenetic signals, plays an important role in modulating gene expression and can therefore establish, sustain, and alter organism-level phenotypes, including behavior and life span. Unlike DNA methylation in mammals, DNA methylation in insects, including eusocial insects, is enriched in gene bodies of actively expressed genes. Recent investigations have revealed the important role of gene body methylation in regulating gene expression in response to intrinsic and environmental factors. In this review, we summarize recent advances in DNA methylation research and discuss its significance in our understanding of the epigenetic underpinnings of behavior and longevity.
AB - In eusocial insects, genetically identical individuals can exhibit striking differences in behavior and longevity. The molecular basis of such phenotypic plasticity is of great interest to the scientific community. DNA methylation, as well as other epigenetic signals, plays an important role in modulating gene expression and can therefore establish, sustain, and alter organism-level phenotypes, including behavior and life span. Unlike DNA methylation in mammals, DNA methylation in insects, including eusocial insects, is enriched in gene bodies of actively expressed genes. Recent investigations have revealed the important role of gene body methylation in regulating gene expression in response to intrinsic and environmental factors. In this review, we summarize recent advances in DNA methylation research and discuss its significance in our understanding of the epigenetic underpinnings of behavior and longevity.
KW - Alternative splicing
KW - Environment
KW - Gene body methylation
KW - Plasticity
KW - Transcription
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84920862329&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84920862329&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1146/annurev-ento-010814-020803
DO - 10.1146/annurev-ento-010814-020803
M3 - Review article
C2 - 25341091
AN - SCOPUS:84920862329
SN - 0066-4170
VL - 60
SP - 435
EP - 452
JO - Annual Review of Entomology
JF - Annual Review of Entomology
ER -