Data from: Simulated infection induced changes in DNA methylation differ between introduced and native house sparrow (Passer domesticus)

As DNA methylation can change within individuals over time and regulate
gene expression, it is important in many aspects of avian biology. It
likely plays a critical role in the response of individuals to various
stressors, such as infection, environmental change, and the myriad of
novel conditions associated with introductions. Here, we use epiRADseq to
investigate changes in DNA methylation within-individual birds over eight
hours in response to simulated infection. We contrast house sparrows from
introduced locations with individuals from native locations, comparing the
number of genomic locations that change, their magnitude of change, and
the variance among individuals of the change. We detected that introduced
individuals change their DNA methylation at more genomic locations, with
greater magnitude, and higher variance, compared to native individuals.
Together, these findings support a critical role of DNA methylation in an
individual’s response to infection, which introduces individuals likely to
adopt an “invader phenotype,” differentiating their response from native
individuals, and that the overall pattern of change in DNA methylation is
congruent with epigenetic buffering.