Changes in DNA methylation and histone modification gene expression in response to daily food times in zebra finches: epigenetic implications

• DOI: 10.1242/jeb.217422
• Publication Date: 2020-01-03T18:05:13Z
• Authors: Ila Mishra; Aakansha Sharma; Abhilash Prabhat; Twinkle Batra; Indu Malik; Vinod Kumar
• Keywords: DNMT3B; DNA demethylation

We hypothesized that daily food availability times served as an ‘epigenetic’ factor and affected the reproductive physiology in continuously reproducing species. This we tested by measurement of mRNA expression genes coding for enzymes involved DNA methylation-demethylation (dnmts, tets) histone modification (hat1, hdacs) hypothalamus, liver gonads male female zebra finches were paired held a year under 12L:12D with access to time-restricted (TrF: 4-h morning, TrF-M, or evening, TrF-E) controls on ad libitum (FAL). The overall hypothalamic hepatic patterns hat1 hdac(s) similar but those dnmt(s) tet(s) different between males females. Irrespective TrF timings, both levels increased not which TrF-M group. While higher TrF-E males, birds (tet1, only males). Gonadal expressions further varied showed sex differences. Histone modifying did show TrF-effects, except elevated testicular hdac3 levels. Similarly, dnmt3b tet2 decreased TrF-E, respectively, whereas ovarian dnmt1 reduced tet1 TrF-E. Present results suggest enforced feeding schedule long term could serve conditioning environment shapes at epigenetic levels, regulation, gonadal functions diurnal vertebrates.