DNA methylation data for Atlantic herring (2020)

Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying individual responses to environmental changes is crucial for species conservation and management. Pelagic fishes including Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) are of particular interest because of their key ecological and economic roles and their susceptibility to a changing ocean from global warming. Temperature and photoperiod have been linked with spawning time and location in adult herring, but no study has thus far investigated the role of environmental factors on gene regulation during the vulnerable early developmental stages. Here we examine DNA methylation patterns of larval herring bred under two temperatures (11°C and 13°C) and photoperiod (6 hr and 12 hr) regimes in a 2X2 factorial design. We found consistently high levels of global methylation across all individuals and a decline in global methylation with increased developmental stage that was more pronounced at 13°C (P ≤ 0.007) than at 11°C (P ≥ 0.21). Most of the different...