title: Germ-line epigenetic modification of the murine A vy allele by nutritional supplementation.
abstract: Environmental effects on phenotype can be mediated by epigenetic modifications. The epigenetic state of the murine A vy allele is highly variable, and determines phenotypic effects that vary in a mosaic spectrum that can be shifted by in utero exposure to methyl donor supplementation. We have asked if methyl donor supplementation affects the germ-line epigenetic state of the A vy allele. We find that the somatic epigenetic state of A vy is affected by in utero methyl donor supplementation only when the allele is paternally contributed. Exposure to methyl donor supplementation during midgestation shifts A vy phenotypes not only in the mice exposed as fetuses, but in their offspring. This finding indicates that methyl donors can change the epigenetic state of the A vy allele in the germ line, and that the altered state is retained through the epigenetic resetting that takes place in gametogenesis and embryogenesis. Thus a mother's diet may have an enduring influence on succeeding generations, independent of later changes in diet. Although other reports have suggested such heritable epigenetic changes, this study demonstrates that a specific mammalian gene can be subjected to germ-line epigenetic change.
authors.affiliation: Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, 384 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst 2010, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Cropley
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Suter
authors.forename: Kenneth B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Beckman
authors.forename: David I K
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D008745:Methylation; D051379:Mice; D010375:Pedigree; D010641:Phenotype