Histone modifications and DNA methylation act cooperatively in regulating symbiosis genes in the sea anemone Aiptasia
Abstract Background The symbiotic relationship between cnidarians and dinoflagellates is one of the most widespread endosymbiosis in our oceans and provides the ecological basis of coral reef ecosystems. Although many studies have been undertaken to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying these...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-12-01
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| Series: | BMC Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-022-01469-y |
| _version_ | 1828123373110034432 |
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| author | Kashif Nawaz Maha J. Cziesielski Kiruthiga G. Mariappan Guoxin Cui Manuel Aranda |
| author_facet | Kashif Nawaz Maha J. Cziesielski Kiruthiga G. Mariappan Guoxin Cui Manuel Aranda |
| author_sort | Kashif Nawaz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The symbiotic relationship between cnidarians and dinoflagellates is one of the most widespread endosymbiosis in our oceans and provides the ecological basis of coral reef ecosystems. Although many studies have been undertaken to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying these symbioses, we still know little about the epigenetic mechanisms that control the transcriptional responses to symbiosis. Results Here, we used the model organism Exaiptasia diaphana to study the genome-wide patterns and putative functions of the histone modifications H3K27ac, H3K4me3, H3K9ac, H3K36me3, and H3K27me3 in symbiosis. While we find that their functions are generally conserved, we observed that colocalization of more than one modification and or DNA methylation correlated with significantly higher gene expression, suggesting a cooperative action of histone modifications and DNA methylation in promoting gene expression. Analysis of symbiosis genes revealed that activating histone modifications predominantly associated with symbiosis-induced genes involved in glucose metabolism, nitrogen transport, amino acid biosynthesis, and organism growth while symbiosis-suppressed genes were involved in catabolic processes. Conclusions Our results provide new insights into the mechanisms of prominent histone modifications and their interaction with DNA methylation in regulating symbiosis in cnidarians. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:50:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-802f899c277e438abcba53b400ad1e4b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1741-7007 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T14:50:46Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-802f899c277e438abcba53b400ad1e4b2022-12-22T04:17:29ZengBMCBMC Biology1741-70072022-12-0120111710.1186/s12915-022-01469-yHistone modifications and DNA methylation act cooperatively in regulating symbiosis genes in the sea anemone AiptasiaKashif Nawaz0Maha J. Cziesielski1Kiruthiga G. Mariappan2Guoxin Cui3Manuel Aranda4Marine Science Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)Marine Science Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)Marine Science Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)Marine Science Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)Marine Science Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)Abstract Background The symbiotic relationship between cnidarians and dinoflagellates is one of the most widespread endosymbiosis in our oceans and provides the ecological basis of coral reef ecosystems. Although many studies have been undertaken to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying these symbioses, we still know little about the epigenetic mechanisms that control the transcriptional responses to symbiosis. Results Here, we used the model organism Exaiptasia diaphana to study the genome-wide patterns and putative functions of the histone modifications H3K27ac, H3K4me3, H3K9ac, H3K36me3, and H3K27me3 in symbiosis. While we find that their functions are generally conserved, we observed that colocalization of more than one modification and or DNA methylation correlated with significantly higher gene expression, suggesting a cooperative action of histone modifications and DNA methylation in promoting gene expression. Analysis of symbiosis genes revealed that activating histone modifications predominantly associated with symbiosis-induced genes involved in glucose metabolism, nitrogen transport, amino acid biosynthesis, and organism growth while symbiosis-suppressed genes were involved in catabolic processes. Conclusions Our results provide new insights into the mechanisms of prominent histone modifications and their interaction with DNA methylation in regulating symbiosis in cnidarians.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-022-01469-ySymbiosisCoralsClimate ChangeEpigeneticsHistone modifications |
| spellingShingle | Kashif Nawaz Maha J. Cziesielski Kiruthiga G. Mariappan Guoxin Cui Manuel Aranda Histone modifications and DNA methylation act cooperatively in regulating symbiosis genes in the sea anemone Aiptasia BMC Biology Symbiosis Corals Climate Change Epigenetics Histone modifications |
| title | Histone modifications and DNA methylation act cooperatively in regulating symbiosis genes in the sea anemone Aiptasia |
| title_full | Histone modifications and DNA methylation act cooperatively in regulating symbiosis genes in the sea anemone Aiptasia |
| title_fullStr | Histone modifications and DNA methylation act cooperatively in regulating symbiosis genes in the sea anemone Aiptasia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Histone modifications and DNA methylation act cooperatively in regulating symbiosis genes in the sea anemone Aiptasia |
| title_short | Histone modifications and DNA methylation act cooperatively in regulating symbiosis genes in the sea anemone Aiptasia |
| title_sort | histone modifications and dna methylation act cooperatively in regulating symbiosis genes in the sea anemone aiptasia |
| topic | Symbiosis Corals Climate Change Epigenetics Histone modifications |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-022-01469-y |
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