title: Eusocial insects as emerging models for behavioural epigenetics.
abstract: Understanding the molecular basis of how behavioural states are established, maintained and altered by environmental cues is an area of considerable and growing interest. Epigenetic processes, including methylation of DNA and post-translational modification of histones, dynamically modulate activity-dependent gene expression in neurons and can therefore have important regulatory roles in shaping behavioural responses to environmental cues. Several eusocial insect species - with their unique displays of behavioural plasticity due to age, morphology and social context - have emerged as models to investigate the genetic and epigenetic underpinnings of animal social behaviour. This Review summarizes recent studies in the epigenetics of social behaviour and offers perspectives on emerging trends and prospects for establishing genetic tools in eusocial insects.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA. [2].
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. [2] Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. [3].
authors.forename: Daniel F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Simola
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. [2] Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bonasio
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-4501, USA.
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liebig
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. [2] Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. [3] Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. [4] Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Shelley L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA. [2] Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Reinberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*; D059647:Gene-Environment Interaction; D042822:Genomic Instability; D007313:Insecta / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D023421:Models, Animal; D012919:Social Behavior; D014158:Transcription, Genetic