Oysters in transition: hermaphrodite oysters display unique DNA methylation patterns in gill tissue
Abstract Background European flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) are sequential hermaphrodites that alternate sex in response to environmental change. Epigenetics, including DNA methylation, are often involved in sex reversal through influencing gene transcription. Knowledge on the epigenetic mechanisms un...
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BMC
2025-06-01
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| Series: | BMC Genomics |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11736-1 |
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| author | Sophie Valk Marc Engelsma Hendrik-Jan Megens Pauline Kamermans Albertinka J. Murk Reindert Nijland |
| author_facet | Sophie Valk Marc Engelsma Hendrik-Jan Megens Pauline Kamermans Albertinka J. Murk Reindert Nijland |
| author_sort | Sophie Valk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background European flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) are sequential hermaphrodites that alternate sex in response to environmental change. Epigenetics, including DNA methylation, are often involved in sex reversal through influencing gene transcription. Knowledge on the epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex reversal in hermaphrodite bivalves is limited to gonadal tissue and previous studies have only compared DNA methylomes of males and females. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess whether sex-specific DNA methylation can be identified in somatic gill tissue of the flat oyster. Results By comparing whole-genome methylomes of 35 oysters of different sex phenotypes using nanopore sequencing, we demonstrate the presence of sex-specific DNA methylation patterns in somatic gill tissue. A total of 9,654 regions and 2,576 genes were differentially methylated between male, female, and hermaphrodite oysters. Functional analysis of differentially methylated genes indicated an association with energy homeostasis and metabolic processes, implying a remodeling of the energy balance. Conclusions This study is the first to characterize DNA methylomes of hermaphrodite oysters, providing new insights into the epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex reversal in a sequential hermaphrodite invertebrate. Additionally, this study characterizes sex-specific DNA methylation in somatic gill tissue, paving the way for non-lethal sex identification using epigenetic biomarkers. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1d08e4e9df6648bd855c23992000398f |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1471-2164 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Genomics |
| spelling | doaj-art-1d08e4e9df6648bd855c23992000398f2025-08-20T03:10:38ZengBMCBMC Genomics1471-21642025-06-0126111710.1186/s12864-025-11736-1Oysters in transition: hermaphrodite oysters display unique DNA methylation patterns in gill tissueSophie Valk0Marc Engelsma1Hendrik-Jan Megens2Pauline Kamermans3Albertinka J. Murk4Reindert Nijland5Marine Animal Ecology, Wageningen University and ResearchWageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University and ResearchAnimal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University and ResearchMarine Animal Ecology, Wageningen University and ResearchMarine Animal Ecology, Wageningen University and ResearchMarine Animal Ecology, Wageningen University and ResearchAbstract Background European flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) are sequential hermaphrodites that alternate sex in response to environmental change. Epigenetics, including DNA methylation, are often involved in sex reversal through influencing gene transcription. Knowledge on the epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex reversal in hermaphrodite bivalves is limited to gonadal tissue and previous studies have only compared DNA methylomes of males and females. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess whether sex-specific DNA methylation can be identified in somatic gill tissue of the flat oyster. Results By comparing whole-genome methylomes of 35 oysters of different sex phenotypes using nanopore sequencing, we demonstrate the presence of sex-specific DNA methylation patterns in somatic gill tissue. A total of 9,654 regions and 2,576 genes were differentially methylated between male, female, and hermaphrodite oysters. Functional analysis of differentially methylated genes indicated an association with energy homeostasis and metabolic processes, implying a remodeling of the energy balance. Conclusions This study is the first to characterize DNA methylomes of hermaphrodite oysters, providing new insights into the epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex reversal in a sequential hermaphrodite invertebrate. Additionally, this study characterizes sex-specific DNA methylation in somatic gill tissue, paving the way for non-lethal sex identification using epigenetic biomarkers.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11736-1DNA methylationEpigeneticsEuropean flat oysterGill tissueSex differentiationOstrea edulis |
| spellingShingle | Sophie Valk Marc Engelsma Hendrik-Jan Megens Pauline Kamermans Albertinka J. Murk Reindert Nijland Oysters in transition: hermaphrodite oysters display unique DNA methylation patterns in gill tissue BMC Genomics DNA methylation Epigenetics European flat oyster Gill tissue Sex differentiation Ostrea edulis |
| title | Oysters in transition: hermaphrodite oysters display unique DNA methylation patterns in gill tissue |
| title_full | Oysters in transition: hermaphrodite oysters display unique DNA methylation patterns in gill tissue |
| title_fullStr | Oysters in transition: hermaphrodite oysters display unique DNA methylation patterns in gill tissue |
| title_full_unstemmed | Oysters in transition: hermaphrodite oysters display unique DNA methylation patterns in gill tissue |
| title_short | Oysters in transition: hermaphrodite oysters display unique DNA methylation patterns in gill tissue |
| title_sort | oysters in transition hermaphrodite oysters display unique dna methylation patterns in gill tissue |
| topic | DNA methylation Epigenetics European flat oyster Gill tissue Sex differentiation Ostrea edulis |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11736-1 |
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