Methylome Investigation of Introduced and Native Populations of the Ubiquitous House Sparrow (Passer Domesticus)
Location
College of Science and Mathematics (COSM)
Session Format
Poster Presentation
Co-Presenters and Faculty Mentors or Advisors
Dr. Aaron Schrey, Faculty Advisor
Abstract
Population epigenetics investigates the mechanisms that allow for plasticity in gene expression without changes to DNA sequences. DNA methylation is the most commonly studied epigenetic mechanism. The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) has colonized all continents, excluding Antarctica, and many introduced populations are actively expanding their ranges. Previous studies have found a compensatory relationship between epigenetic and genetic diversity. The history and ubiquity of the house sparrow make it an important model organism for introduction and range expansion studies. The house sparrow genome was recently mapped, opening the possibility for single base-pair resolution DNA methylation analyses. The purpose of this investigation is to identify differently methylated regions of individuals from introduced and native populations using an EM-seq protocol. The results will help inform the understanding of an epigenetic mechanism acting to change the fitness between and among introduced and native populations. The investigation will also provide insights to the reversibility of some epigenetic mechanisms in response to novel or changing habitats. We expect to find differences between methylated regions in native and introduced populations. We also expect that, as an introduced population ages, methylation will decrease until it resembles native populations.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Presentation Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Petty, Megan Ellesse, "Methylome Investigation of Introduced and Native Populations of the Ubiquitous House Sparrow (Passer Domesticus)" (2021). GS4 Georgia Southern Student Scholars Symposium. 47.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2021/2021/47
Methylome Investigation of Introduced and Native Populations of the Ubiquitous House Sparrow (Passer Domesticus)
College of Science and Mathematics (COSM)
Population epigenetics investigates the mechanisms that allow for plasticity in gene expression without changes to DNA sequences. DNA methylation is the most commonly studied epigenetic mechanism. The house sparrow (Passer domesticus) has colonized all continents, excluding Antarctica, and many introduced populations are actively expanding their ranges. Previous studies have found a compensatory relationship between epigenetic and genetic diversity. The history and ubiquity of the house sparrow make it an important model organism for introduction and range expansion studies. The house sparrow genome was recently mapped, opening the possibility for single base-pair resolution DNA methylation analyses. The purpose of this investigation is to identify differently methylated regions of individuals from introduced and native populations using an EM-seq protocol. The results will help inform the understanding of an epigenetic mechanism acting to change the fitness between and among introduced and native populations. The investigation will also provide insights to the reversibility of some epigenetic mechanisms in response to novel or changing habitats. We expect to find differences between methylated regions in native and introduced populations. We also expect that, as an introduced population ages, methylation will decrease until it resembles native populations.
