Term of Award
Spring 2025
Degree Name
Master of Science in Biology (M.S.)
Document Type and Release Option
Thesis (restricted to Georgia Southern)
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Department
Department of Biology
Committee Chair
Aaron Schrey
Committee Member 1
Kathryn Craven
Committee Member 2
Alexander Collier
Abstract
When a species is introduced outside of its native range, it must be able to both survive and reproduce in its new environment despite the stress this puts on the individual. Some species not only succeed, but thrive and quickly spread throughout their new habitat. An example of this is the Mediterranean House Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus), a species of lizard native to the Mediterranean region that has been introduced and spread throughout much of the southern United States. Epigenetic mechanisms are a way in which phenotypic changes can be made in an organism’s lifetime in response to environmental changes. One of these mechanisms is DNA methylation, in which a methyl group is added to a cytosine to form 5-methylcytosine, often in a CpG site. The goal of this study was to determine if DNA methylation varies among Mediterranean House Geckos from different locations and with different times since introduction. Mediterranean House Geckos were collected from five different counties in the United States that varied in time of introduction. DNA was extracted from all individuals, and DNA methylation was screened using epiRADseq. Comparisons were made among times of introduction and sex. The results showed a trend of greater variation in DNA methylation among samples collected from sites with more recent times of introduction. There was also greater variation in DNA methylation among males compared to females. Additional data from more locations will be needed to untangle what is driving the changes in DNA methylation associated with introduction.
OCLC Number
1519554419
Catalog Permalink
https://galileo-georgiasouthern.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01GALI_GASOUTH/1r4bu70/alma9916620835502950
Recommended Citation
Murray, Sarah, "Analyzing DNA Methylation Among Populations of the Invasive Mediterranean House Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus)" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2899.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/2899
Research Data and Supplementary Material
No
