Developmental behavioural plasticity and DNA methylation patterns in response to predation stress in Trinidadian guppies

Early-life experiences can predict the environments experienced later in life, giving individuals an opportunity to develop adaptive behaviour appropriate to a likely future environment. Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation (DNAm) have been implicated in developmental behavioural plasticity, however, studies investigating this possibility are limited in taxonomic breadth and ecological relevance. We investigated the impact of early-life exposure to predation stress on behaviour and DNAm in the brains of Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata). We exposed guppies throughout development to either alarm cue (conspecific skin extract), inducing predation stress, or a control cue (water) for eight weeks and then raised them to adulthood under identical conditions. We then conducted two behavioural assays, an open-field and a grouping test, before performing whole-genome bisulfite sequencing on whole brains. Guppies exposed to alarm cue during development exhibited increased groupi..., Juvenile guppies were exposed to either alarm cue or control cue throughout development three times a week for eight weeks. After a 22-week period without exposure to cue guppies went through behavioural assays.
Behavioural assays were carried out between 9:00 and 17:00 from May to September 2021. Fish were not fed on the day of behavioural assays. Arena tanks were 20 L rectangular glass tanks with the sides covered in white corrugated plastic sheets to prevent reflections. We filled tanks with fresh conditioned and heated (25 +/- 1oC) water to 6 cm of depth and loosely scattered light-coloured gravel along the bottom. For each assay, fish were allowed to habituate in the arena tank for three minutes in a transparent cylinder (diameter = 6 cm) placed at the center of the tank. We then slowly lifted the cylinder to release the fish and begin the assay. The experimenter hid behind a barrier for the duration of the assay. The assays lasted for five minutes and were recorded using a 1080P H..., , # Developmental behavioural plasticity and DNA methylation patterns in response to predation stress in Trinidadian guppies

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dbrv15fch](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.dbrv15fch)

## Description of the data and file structure

Data and code associated with paper: Developmental behavioural plasticity and DNA methylation patterns in response to predation stress in Trinidadian guppies

Experiment Summary: Juvenile guppies were exposed to either alarm cue or control cue throughout development three times a week for eight weeks. After a 22-week period without exposure to cue guppies went through behavioural assays (open field and shoaling). Immediately following behavioural assays, we dissected out brains for whole genome bisulfite sequencing . 

File structure: Clean and raw behavioural and weight data files are provided within the data.zip file. Sequencing data are stored on SRA (BioProject ID: PRJNA1220133). Analysis scripts are provided with separate folders f...,