title: Characteristics and expression patterns of histone-modifying enzyme systems in the migratory locust.
abstract: The density-dependent phase polyphenism in locusts offers an excellent model to investigate the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms underlying phenotypic plasticity. In this study, we identified histone-modifying enzymes mediating histone post-translational modifications, which serve as a major regulatory mechanism of epigenetic processes, on the basis of the whole genome sequence of the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria. We confirmed the existence of various functional histone modifications in the locusts. Compared with other sequenced insect genomes, the locust genome contains a richer repertoire of histone-modifying enzymes. Several locust histone-modifying enzymes display vertebrate-like characteristics, such as the presence of a Sirt3-like gene and multiple alternative splicing of GCN5 gene. Most histone-modifying enzymes are highly expressed in the eggs or in the testis tissues of male adults. Several histone deacetylases and H3K4-specific methyltransferases exhibit differential expression patterns in brain tissues between solitarious and gregarious locusts. These results reveal the main characteristics of histone-modifying enzymes and provide important cues for understanding the epigenetic mechanisms underlying phase polyphenism in locusts.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Siyuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Pengcheng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China. Electronic address: wangxh@ioz.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Xianhui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Beijing Institute of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China. Electronic address: lkang@ioz.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Le
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D048188:Locusta migratoria / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D006657:Histones; D019476:Insect Proteins
keywords: Chromatin modification; Epigenetic mechanisms; Locusta migratoria; Phase polyphenism