Abstract
Environmentally induced epigenetic changes may contribute to phenotypic plasticity, increase adaptive potential in changing environments, and play a key role in the establishment and spread of invasive species in new habitats. In this study, we used methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) to assess environmentally induced DNA methylation changes in a globally invasive clonal ascidian, Didemnum vexillum. We tested the effect of increasing temperature (19, 25 and 27 °C) and decreasing salinity (34, 32, 30, 28 and 26 practical salinity units (PSU)) on global DNA methylation, growth and survival rates. Exposure to 27 °C resulted in significant changes in DNA methylation over time. Growth also decreased in colonies exposed to high temperatures, suggesting they were under thermal stress. In contrast, no differences in growth nor DNA methylation patterns were observed in colonies exposed to a decreasing salinity gradient, potentially due to prior adaptation. The results of this study show that environmental stress can induce significant global DNA methylation changes in an invasive marine invertebrate on very rapid timescales, and that this response varies depending on the type, magnitude, and duration of the stressor. Changes in genomic DNA methylation and the rate of growth may act to ‘buy survival time’ under stressful conditions, expanding the distribution limits of this globally invasive species.
Highlights
Species invasions, climate change, habitat fragmentation and environmental degradation are altering ecosystems and threatening biodiversity (Leadley, 2010)
There were no significant differences in DNA methylation patterns (Fig. 2A) (MSL, φST = −0.04981, p = 0.7093, analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA); Table S3) between treatment groups
Our results indicate that environmental stressors can induce significant global DNA methylation changes in an invasive marine invertebrate on very rapid timescales, and that this response varies depending on the type, magnitude, and duration of the stressor
Summary
Climate change, habitat fragmentation and environmental degradation are altering ecosystems and threatening biodiversity (Leadley, 2010). Invasive species can still be highly successful in their new environments, and often outcompete locally adapted native species (Allendorf & Lundquist, 2003). By increasing both phenotypic plasticity and heritable variation, epigenetic changes might allow invasive species to quickly respond to environmental challenges. The role that epigenetic mechanisms play during the process of invasion is only beginning to be understood (Hawes et al, 2018) and, for many species, the effect of environmental stressors on DNA methylation is unknown
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