title: Regulation of Hox orthologues in the oyster Crassostrea gigas evidences a functional role for promoter DNA methylation in an invertebrate.
abstract: DNA methylation within promoter regions (PRDM) controls vertebrate early gene transcription and thereby development, but is neglected outside this group. However, epigenetic features in the oyster Crassostrea gigas suggest functional significance of PDRM in invertebrates. To investigate this, reporter constructs containing in vitro methylated oyster Hox gene promoters were transfected into oyster embryos. The influence of in vivo methylation was studied using bisulfite sequencing and DNA methyltransferase inhibition during development. Our results demonstrate that methylation controls the transcriptional activity of the promoters investigated, unraveling a functional role for PRDM in a lophotrochozoan, an important finding regarding the evolution of epigenetic regulation.
authors.affiliation: IBFA, Institute for Fundamental and Applied Biology, University of Caen, Caen, France; UMR BOREA 'Biologie des organismes et écosystèmes aquatiques' Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, CNRS-7208, IRD-207, MNHN, UPMC, UCBN, UAG, F-14032 Caen, France.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saint-Carlier
authors.affiliation: IBFA, Institute for Fundamental and Applied Biology, University of Caen, Caen, France; UMR BOREA 'Biologie des organismes et écosystèmes aquatiques' Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, CNRS-7208, IRD-207, MNHN, UPMC, UCBN, UAG, F-14032 Caen, France. Electronic address: guillaume.riviere@unicaen.fr.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riviere
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001374:Azacitidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D016466:CHO Cells; D049896:Crassostrea / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics*; D006224:Cricetinae; D003412:Cricetulus; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases; D001374:Azacitidine
keywords: Development; Epigenetics; Expression; Invertebrates; Methylation; Promoter