Evidence in duck for supporting alteration of incubation temperature may have influence on methylation of genomic DNA.
Incubation temperature has an immediate and long-term influence on the embryonic development in birds. DNA methylation as an important environment-induced mechanism could serve as a potential link between embryos' phenotypic variability and temperature variation, which reprogrammed by DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferases (DNMTS) and Methyl-CpG binding domain proteins (MBPS) 3&5 (MBD3&5). Five genes in DNMTS and MBPS gene families were selected as target genes, given their important role in epigenetic modification. In this study, we aimed to test whether raising incubation temperature from 37.8°C to 38.8°C between embryonic days (ED) 1-10, ED10-20 and ED20-27 have effect on DNA methylation and whether DNMTS, MBPS play roles in thermal epigenetic regulation of early development in duck. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis showed that increased incubation temperature by 1°C has remarkably dynamic effect on gene expression levels of DNMTS and MBPS. Slight changes in incubation temperature significantly increased mRNA levels of target genes in breast muscle tissue during ED1-10, especially for DNMT1, DNMT3A and MBD5. In addition, higher temperature significantly increased enzyme activities of DNMT1 in leg muscle during ED10-20, liver tissue during ED1-10, ED20-27 and DNMT3A in leg muscle and breast muscle tissue during ED10-20. These results suggest that incubation temperature has an extended effect on gene expression levels and enzyme activities of DNMTS and MBPS, which provides evidence that incubation temperature may influence DNA methylation in duck during early developmental stages. Our data indicated that DNMTS and MBPS may involved in thermal epigenetice regulation of embryos during the early development in duck. The potential links between embryonic temperature and epigenetic modification need further investigation.
Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, Sichuan 625014, P.R. China.
Xi-Ping
XP
Yan
Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, Sichuan 625014, P.R. China.
He-He
HH
Liu
Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, Sichuan 625014, P.R. China.
Jun-Ying
JY
Liu
Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, Sichuan 625014, P.R. China.
Rong-Ping
RP
Zhang
Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, Sichuan 625014, P.R. China.
Guo-Song
GS
Wang
Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, Sichuan 625014, P.R. China.
Qing-Qing
QQ
Li
Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, Sichuan 625014, P.R. China.
Ding-Min-Cheng
DM
Wang
Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, Sichuan 625014, P.R. China.
Liang
L
Li
Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, Sichuan 625014, P.R. China wjw2886166@163.com.
Ji-Wen
JW
Wang
D000818:Animals; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004372:Ducks / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D010063:Ovum / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D013696:Temperature
DNA methylation; duck; embryonic period; incubation temperature