Epigenetic signatures of social status in wild female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta)
Abstract In mammalian societies, dominance hierarchies translate into inequalities in health, reproductive performance and survival. DNA methylation is thought to mediate the effects of social status on gene expression and phenotypic outcomes, yet a study of social status-specific DNA methylation pr...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Communications Biology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-05926-y |
| _version_ | 1797233370525073408 |
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| author | Colin Vullioud Sarah Benhaiem Dorina Meneghini Moshe Szyf Yong Shao Heribert Hofer Marion L. East Jörns Fickel Alexandra Weyrich |
| author_facet | Colin Vullioud Sarah Benhaiem Dorina Meneghini Moshe Szyf Yong Shao Heribert Hofer Marion L. East Jörns Fickel Alexandra Weyrich |
| author_sort | Colin Vullioud |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In mammalian societies, dominance hierarchies translate into inequalities in health, reproductive performance and survival. DNA methylation is thought to mediate the effects of social status on gene expression and phenotypic outcomes, yet a study of social status-specific DNA methylation profiles in different age classes in a wild social mammal is missing. We tested for social status signatures in DNA methylation profiles in wild female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), cubs and adults, using non-invasively collected gut epithelium samples. In spotted hyena clans, female social status influences access to resources, foraging behavior, health, reproductive performance and survival. We identified 149 differentially methylated regions between 42 high- and low-ranking female spotted hyenas (cubs and adults). Differentially methylated genes were associated with energy conversion, immune function, glutamate receptor signalling and ion transport. Our results provide evidence that socio-environmental inequalities are reflected at the molecular level in cubs and adults in a wild social mammal. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:15:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-13f7a24b28c74bf8aefe406cc7ca3216 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2399-3642 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:15:06Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-13f7a24b28c74bf8aefe406cc7ca32162024-03-31T11:29:13ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422024-03-017111210.1038/s42003-024-05926-yEpigenetic signatures of social status in wild female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta)Colin Vullioud0Sarah Benhaiem1Dorina Meneghini2Moshe Szyf3Yong Shao4Heribert Hofer5Marion L. East6Jörns Fickel7Alexandra Weyrich8Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)Department of Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)McGill UniversityState Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesLeibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)Department of Ecological Dynamics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW)Abstract In mammalian societies, dominance hierarchies translate into inequalities in health, reproductive performance and survival. DNA methylation is thought to mediate the effects of social status on gene expression and phenotypic outcomes, yet a study of social status-specific DNA methylation profiles in different age classes in a wild social mammal is missing. We tested for social status signatures in DNA methylation profiles in wild female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), cubs and adults, using non-invasively collected gut epithelium samples. In spotted hyena clans, female social status influences access to resources, foraging behavior, health, reproductive performance and survival. We identified 149 differentially methylated regions between 42 high- and low-ranking female spotted hyenas (cubs and adults). Differentially methylated genes were associated with energy conversion, immune function, glutamate receptor signalling and ion transport. Our results provide evidence that socio-environmental inequalities are reflected at the molecular level in cubs and adults in a wild social mammal.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-05926-y |
| spellingShingle | Colin Vullioud Sarah Benhaiem Dorina Meneghini Moshe Szyf Yong Shao Heribert Hofer Marion L. East Jörns Fickel Alexandra Weyrich Epigenetic signatures of social status in wild female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) Communications Biology |
| title | Epigenetic signatures of social status in wild female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) |
| title_full | Epigenetic signatures of social status in wild female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) |
| title_fullStr | Epigenetic signatures of social status in wild female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Epigenetic signatures of social status in wild female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) |
| title_short | Epigenetic signatures of social status in wild female spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) |
| title_sort | epigenetic signatures of social status in wild female spotted hyenas crocuta crocuta |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-05926-y |
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