ArticleBMC genomics2021
The effect of DNA methylation on bumblebee colony development.
Article in BMC genomics, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.
- A Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly and Resequencing Data Reveal Low DNA Methylation and Reduced Diversity in the Solitary Bee Pollinator Osmia cornuta.Genome biology and evolution · 2026Article
- Unraveling the Roles of Epigenetic Regulators During the Embryonic Development ofInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2025Article
- Examining the Effects of Environment, Geography, and Elevation on Patterns of DNA Methylation Across Populations of Two Widespread Bumble Bee Species.Genome biology and evolution · 2024Article
- Tracking Existing Factors Directly Affecting the Reproduction of Bumblebees: Current Knowledge.Insects · 2024Review
- DNA methylation extends lifespan in the bumblebeeProceedings. Biological sciences · 2023Article
- Genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) populations from spatial-environmental range extremes.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- DNA methylation and expression of the egfr gene are associated with worker size in monomorphic ants.Scientific reports · 2022Article
- DNA Methylation Variation Is a Possible Mechanism in the Response ofInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2022Article
- Heritable Epigenomic Modifications Influence Stress Resilience and Rapid Adaptations in the Brown Planthopper (International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Article
- Review
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAlthough around 1% of cytosines in bees' genomes are known to be methylated, less is known about methylation's effect on bee behavior and fitness. Chemically altered DNA methylation levels have shown clear changes in the dominance and reproductive behavior of workers in queen-less colonies, but the global effect of DNA methylation on caste determination and colony development remains unclear, mainly because of difficulties in controlling for genetic differences among experimental subjects in the parental line. Here, we investigated the effect of the methylation altering agent decitabine on the developmental rate of full bumblebee colonies. Whole genome bisulfite sequencing was used to assess differences in methylation status.
resultsOur results showed fewer methylated loci in the control group. A total of 22 CpG loci were identified as significantly differentially methylated between treated and control workers with a change in methylation levels of 10% or more. Loci that were methylated differentially between groups participated in pathways including neuron function, oocyte regulation and metabolic processes. Treated colonies tended to develop faster, and therefore more workers were found at a given developmental stage. However, male production followed the opposite trend and it tended to be higher in control colonies.
conclusionOverall, our results indicate that altered methylation patterns resulted in an improved cooperation between workers, while there were no signs of abnormal worker dominance or caste determination.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.