Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40481401›Full record

ArticleBMC genomics2025

Oysters in transition: hermaphrodite oysters display unique DNA methylation patterns in gill tissue.

Sophie Valk, Marc Engelsma, Hendrik-Jan Megens, Pauline Kamermans, Albertinka J Murk, Reindert Nijland

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Article in BMC genomics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Sophie ValkMarine Animal Ecology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, 6700 AH, the Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-0584-8062
Marc EngelsmaWageningen Bioveterinary Research, Wageningen University and Research, Lelystad, 8200 AB, the Netherlands.
Hendrik-Jan MegensAnimal Breeding and Genomics, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, 6700 AH, the Netherlands.
Pauline KamermansMarine Animal Ecology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, 6700 AH, the Netherlands.
Albertinka J MurkMarine Animal Ecology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, 6700 AH, the Netherlands.
Reindert NijlandMarine Animal Ecology, Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, 6700 AH, the Netherlands. Reindert.nijland@wur.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0049-3768

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEuropean flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) are sequential hermaphrodites that alternate sex in response to environmental change. Epigenetics, including DNA methylation, are often involved in sex reversal through influencing gene transcription. Knowledge on the epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex reversal in hermaphrodite bivalves is limited to gonadal tissue and previous studies have only compared DNA methylomes of males and females. Therefore, the aim of this study is to assess whether sex-specific DNA methylation can be identified in somatic gill tissue of the flat oyster.

resultsBy comparing whole-genome methylomes of 35 oysters of different sex phenotypes using nanopore sequencing, we demonstrate the presence of sex-specific DNA methylation patterns in somatic gill tissue. A total of 9,654 regions and 2,576 genes were differentially methylated between male, female, and hermaphrodite oysters. Functional analysis of differentially methylated genes indicated an association with energy homeostasis and metabolic processes, implying a remodeling of the energy balance.

conclusionsThis study is the first to characterize DNA methylomes of hermaphrodite oysters, providing new insights into the epigenetic mechanisms underlying sex reversal in a sequential hermaphrodite invertebrate. Additionally, this study characterizes sex-specific DNA methylation in somatic gill tissue, paving the way for non-lethal sex identification using epigenetic biomarkers.

Indexed as

DNA MethylationGillsHermaphroditic OrganismsOstreaAnimalsEpigenesis, GeneticFemaleMaleSex Determination ProcessesDNA methylationEpigeneticsEuropean flat oysterGill tissueOstrea edulisSequential hermaphroditeSex differentiation

Identifiers

PMID40481401
PMCPMC12144841

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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.