H3K4me1 Modification Functions in Caste Differentiation in Honey Bees

Author:

Zhang Yong12,Li Zhen12,He Xujiang12ORCID,Wang Zilong12,Zeng Zhijiang12ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China

2. Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Nanchang 330045, China

Abstract

Honey bees are important species for the study of epigenetics. Female honey bee larvae with the same genotype can develop into phenotypically distinct organisms (sterile workers and fertile queens) depending on conditions such as diet. Previous studies have shown that DNA methylation and histone modification can establish distinct gene expression patterns, leading to caste differentiation. It is unclear whether the histone methylation modification H3K4me1 can also impact caste differentiation. In this study, we analyzed genome-wide H3K4me1 modifications in both queen and worker larvae and found that H3K4me1 marks are more abundant in worker larvae than in queen larvae at both the second and fourth instars, and many genes associated with caste differentiation are differentially methylated. Notably, caste-specific H3K4me1 in promoter regions can direct worker development. Thus, our results suggest that H3K4me1 modification may act as an important regulatory factor in the establishment and maintenance of caste-specific transcriptional programs in honey bees; however, the potential influence of other epigenetic modifications cannot be excluded.

Funder

National Natural Science Foundation of China

Earmarked Fund for China Agriculture Research System

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

Inorganic Chemistry,Organic Chemistry,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry,Computer Science Applications,Spectroscopy,Molecular Biology,General Medicine,Catalysis

Reference61 articles.

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