The role of epigenetics in rapid environmental adaptation: How do threespine stickleback fish in Californian bar-built estuaries rapidly adapt to seasonal salinity changes?

表观遗传学在快速环境适应中的作用：加州酒吧河口的三刺刺鱼如何快速适应季节性盐度变化？

• 批准号: 576818-2022
• 负责人: Francis, NicoleNJF
• 金额: $ 1.82万
• 依托单位: Université de Montréal
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Alliance Grants
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=744363
• 关键词: role; epigenetics; rapid; environmental; adaptation

Many animal species are threatened with extinction from the effects of global warming unless they can adapt. Evolution explains how species emerge and adapt through changes in their DNA. This process takes place over many generations, which may be too slow in the face of climate change. However, many species show remarkable ability to adapt to environmental challenges, indicating that there are more rapid mechanisms. Understanding these rapid adaptation responses may allow us to predict and mitigate effects of climate change and develop conservation strategies. We are studying adaptation in threespine stickleback fish populations in Californian bar-built estuaries. Unlike most stickleback populations that reside in either marine or fresh water, these fish survive seasonal fluctuations from fresh to saltwater. We hypothesize that adaptation to seasonal fluctuations relies on epigenetic regulation. Epigenetic regulation does not depend on inheritance of DNA mutations (i.e. evolution), but instead controls how the existing DNA (genome) is used. Genes form the basic units of the genome, that each contain information needed to make one protein. These proteins are the structural and functional components of cells and tissues. This includes proteins that are molecular sensors and machines that detect and respond to environmental conditions (such as how much salt is in the water). One way organisms may adapt to changes in their environment is if they can store information collected by sensors, and use it to adjust the molecular machines (such as pumps that remove excess salt from cells) that respond to it-essentially preparing for the future. This could occur through epigenetic regulation that controls the output of specific genes. At the molecular level, epigenetic regulation changes how the genome is organized, marking genes for increased or decreased output. Our project will analyse the genome in gill cells to test whether epigenetic regulation can explain how these fish adapt to their fluctuating environment. Fish are essential to the aquatic ecosystem, and to the human population as a food source. Our work may help to understand how fish can adapt to environmental change.

许多动物物种受到全球变暖的威胁，除非它们能够适应。进化论解释了物种如何通过DNA的变化而出现和适应。这一过程需要几代人的时间，在气候变化面前可能太慢了。然而，许多物种表现出显著的适应环境挑战的能力，表明存在更快速的机制。了解这些快速的适应反应可能使我们能够预测和减轻气候变化的影响，并制定保护战略。我们正在研究加利福尼亚州河口的三刺鱼种群的适应性。与大多数居住在海水或淡水中的棘鱼种群不同，这些鱼在从淡水到咸水的季节性波动中生存下来。我们假设，适应季节性波动依赖于表观遗传调节。表观遗传调控不依赖于DNA突变的遗传（即进化），而是控制如何使用现有的DNA（基因组）。基因构成了基因组的基本单位，每个单位都包含制造一种蛋白质所需的信息。这些蛋白质是细胞和组织的结构和功能组分。这包括作为分子传感器的蛋白质和检测和响应环境条件（例如水中含盐量）的机器。生物体适应环境变化的一种方法是，如果它们能够存储传感器收集的信息，并利用这些信息来调整响应信息的分子机器（如从细胞中去除多余盐的泵），这基本上是为未来做准备。这可能是通过控制特定基因输出的表观遗传调节发生的。在分子水平上，表观遗传调控改变了基因组的组织方式，标记了基因的增加或减少的输出。 我们的项目将分析鳃细胞中的基因组，以测试表观遗传调控是否可以解释这些鱼如何适应波动的环境。鱼类是水生生态系统的重要组成部分，也是人类的食物来源。我们的工作可能有助于了解鱼类如何适应环境变化。