Download PDF
CC BY 4.0 · AIMS Genet 2014; 01(01): 034-054
DOI: 10.3934/genet.2014.1.34
Review

Comparative epigenomics: an emerging field with breakthrough potential to understand evolution of epigenetic regulation

Janine E. Deakin
1   Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
,
Renae Domaschenz
1   Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
2   Australian Sports Commission, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra, ACT 2617, Australia
3   The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
,
Pek Siew Lim
4   Discipline of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Education, Science, Technology and Mathematics, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
,
Tariq Ezaz
1   Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
,
Sudha Rao
4   Discipline of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Education, Science, Technology and Mathematics, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
› Author Affiliations
› Further Information
Also available at
 PDF Download Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Epigenetic mechanisms regulate gene expression, thereby mediating the interaction between environment, genotype and phenotype. Changes to epigenetic regulation of genes may be heritable, permitting rapid adaptation of a species to environmental cues. However, most of the current understanding of epigenetic gene regulation has been gained from studies of mice and humans, with only a limited understanding of the conservation of epigenetic mechanisms across divergent taxa. The relative ease at which genome sequence data is now obtained and the advancements made in epigenomics techniques for non-model species provides a basis for carrying out comparative epigenomic studies across a wider range of species, making it possible to start unraveling the evolution of epigenetic mechanisms. We review the current knowledge of epigenetic mechanisms obtained from studying model organisms, give an example of how comparative epigenomics using non-model species is helping to trace the evolutionary history of X chromosome inactivation in mammals and explore the opportunities to study comparative epigenomics in biological systems displaying adaptation between species, such as the immune system and sex determination.

Keywords

epigenetics - gene regulation - X inactivation - immune system - sex determination


Publication History

Received: 02 November 2014

Accepted: 15 December 2014

Article published online:
10 May 2021

© 2014. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany