Histone modification profile of Pristionchus pacificus

Pristionchus pacificus has emerged as a valuable model system for comparative and evolutionary-developmental biology (evo-devo) studies alongside the classic model nematode C. elegans. Previous studies have identified a lack of conservation of genetic networks underlying conserved traits, referred to as developmental systems drift. However, the conservation – or lack thereof – of epigenetic pathways which regulate development have not been investigated. In the manuscript associated with this study, we present an “epigenetic toolkit” for P. pacificus and C. elegans to compare and contrast epigenetic pathways. Assembly of this toolkit was done by identifying orthologous genes, including the “writers” and “erasers” of histone modifications. To complement this evolutionary approach, here we produce a data set of the suite of histone modifications present in P. pacificus.

太平洋拟杆线虫（Pristionchus pacificus）现已与经典模式线虫秀丽隐杆线虫（C. elegans）一道，成为比较与进化发育生物学（evo-devo）研究领域极具价值的模式系统。既往研究已证实，调控保守性状的基因调控网络并不保守，该现象被称为发育系统漂移。然而，调控发育过程的表观遗传通路的保守性（或非保守性）尚未得到研究。在本研究对应的论文中，我们构建了一套针对太平洋拟杆线虫与秀丽隐杆线虫的“表观遗传工具包”，用于二者表观遗传通路的对比分析。该工具包的构建通过鉴定同源基因完成，其中涵盖组蛋白修饰的“写入酶”与“擦除酶”。为补充这一进化研究策略，本研究同时生成了太平洋拟杆线虫中全套组蛋白修饰的数据集。