Local parasite pressures and host genotype modulate epigenetic diversity in a mixed‐mating fish

• Published in: Ecology and evolution Vol. 9; no. 15; pp. 8736 - 8748
• Main Authors: Berbel‐Filho, Waldir M., Garcia de Leaniz, Carlos, Morán, Paloma, Cable, Joanne, Lima, Sergio M. Q., Consuegra, Sofia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.08.2019; John Wiley and Sons Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Adaptation; Animals; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA methylation; epigenetic variation; Epigenetics; Fertilization; Fish; Fish parasites; Gene expression; Genetic diversity; Genomes; Genotype & phenotype; Genotypes; hermaphroditism; Hypotheses; Inbreeding; Loads (forces); local adaptation; mangrove killifish; Microsatellites; Natural populations; Original Research; Parasites; Population genetics; Populations; Self-fertilization; hermaphroditism; epigenetic variation; local adaptation; inbreeding; mangrove killifish; self‐fertilization
• ISSN: 2045-7758; 2045-7758
• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5426

Parasite‐mediated selection is one of the main drivers of genetic variation in natural populations. The persistence of long‐term self‐fertilization, however, challenges the notion that low genetic variation and inbreeding compromise the host's ability to respond to pathogens. DNA methylation represents a potential mechanism for generating additional adaptive variation under low genetic diversity. We compared genetic diversity (microsatellites and AFLPs), variation in DNA methylation (MS‐AFLPs), and parasite loads in three populations of Kryptolebias hermaphroditus, a predomintanly self‐fertilizing fish, to analyze the potential adaptive value of DNA methylation in relation to genetic diversity and parasite loads. We found strong genetic population structuring, as well as differences in parasite loads and methylation levels among sampling sites and selfing lineages. Globally, the interaction between parasites and inbreeding with selfing lineages influenced DNA methylation, but parasites seemed more important in determining methylation levels at the local scale. Using a naturally inbred fish, we show that genetic background and the interaction between parasite loads and inbreeding influences global DNA methylation levels.