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Q&A ViewAttendees 5

Systematics, Evolution, and Biodiversity

10-Minute Paper

SysEB: Genomics

Genome-wide methylation profiling exhibits distinct population-specific epigenetic variability across altitudinal gradients in a bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii)

Sunday, October 31, 2021
9:24 AM – 9:36 AM MT
Location: Colorado Convention Center, Meeting Room 505-507
In-Person

Understanding the evolutionary and ecological processes underlying adaptation to environmental extremes can facilitate determining the survival potential of a particular species and prediction of future species ranges in response to varying bioclimatic conditions. Intraspecific diversity at genomic, transcriptomic, epigenetic, and proteomic levels ultimately determines the success of adaptive responses in variable bioclimatic niches. In this study, we utilize a multi-omics approach to assess genomic and epigenetic variability in a widespread bumble bee species, B. vosnesenskii which is distributed in disparate altitudinal gradients in Western North America (OR, CA, and WA). To determine the genomic level diversity, we analyzed whole-genome sequencing data from spatial and climatic extremes of the species range. Our result suggests that B. vosnesenskii is genetically homogeneous as we detected no noticeable population structure. Then, to assess the intraspecific epigenetic variation, we implemented the WGBS approach to sequence 4 samples each from Oregon and California, representing spatial and climate extremes of the species range. We detected intra-population clustering of methylation profiles with low variability in high-altitude populations. We also identified 5563 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and 81.5% of these DMRs were hypomethylated in the high altitude (OR) population. Finally, we cross-referenced our preliminary DMR data to the published literature of RNA-Seq analyses on thermal tolerance and found several overlaps. Our result indicates that intraspecific epigenetic variation may play an important role in adaptation to environmental extremes by regulating niche-specific gene expression.