Changes in histone acetylation as potential mediators of pupal diapause in the flesh fly, Sarcophaga bullata

Abstract

The growing appreciation that epigenetic processes are integral to the responses of many organisms to changes in the environment suggests a possible role for epigenetics in coordination of insect diapause. The results we present suggest that histone modification may be one type of epigenetic process that contributes to regulation of pupal diapause in the flesh fly, Sarcophaga bullata. Reduction in total histone H3 acetylation in diapausing pupae, shifts in mRNA expression profiles of genes encoding histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) in pre-diapause, diapause and post-diapause flies compared to their nondiapause counterparts, and alterations in HDAC enzyme activity during and post-diapause lend support to the hypothesis that this specific type of histone modification is involved in regulating diapause programming, maintenance, and termination. Transcription of genes encoding HDAC1, HDAC3, HDAC6, and Sirtuin2 were all upregulated in photosensitive first instar larvae programmed to enter pupal diapause, suggesting that histone deacetylation may be linked to the early decision to enter diapause. A 50% reduction in transcription of hdac3 and a corresponding 30% reduction in HDAC activity during diapause suggest that removal of acetyl groups from histones primarily occurs prior to diapause entry and that further histone deacetylation is not necessary to maintain diapause. Transcription of the HDAC genes was quickly elevated when diapause was terminated, followed by an increase in enzyme activity after a short delay. A maternal effect operating in these flies prevents pupal diapause in progeny whose mothers experienced pupal diapause, even if the progeny are reared in strong diapause-inducing short-day conditions. Such nondiapausing pupae had HDAC transcription profiles nearly identical to the profiles seen in nondiapausing pupae generated under a long-day photoperiod. Together, these results provide consistent evidence for histone acetylation and deacetylation as regulators of this insect's developmental trajectory.