DNA methylation associates with sex-specific effects of experimentally increased yolk testosterone in wild nestlings

Maternal hormones can profoundly impact offspring physiology and behaviour in sex-dependent ways. Yet little is known on the molecular mechanisms linking these maternal effects to offspring phenotypes. DNA methylation, an epigenetic mechanism, is suggested to facilitate maternal androgens’ effects. To assess whether phenotypic changes induced by maternal androgens associate with DNA methylation changes, we experimentally manipulated yolk testosterone levels in wild great tit eggs (Parus major) and quantified phenotypic and DNA methylation changes in the hatched offspring. While we found no effect on the handing stress response, increased yolk testosterone levels decreased the begging probability, emphasised sex-differences in fledging mass and affected methylation at 763 CpG sites, but always in a sex-specific way. These sites associated with genes involved in growth, oxidative stress and reproduction, suggesting sex-specific trade-offs to balance the costs and benefits of exposure to h..., , , # DNA methylation associates with sex-specific effects of experimentally increased yolk testosterone in wild nestlings

All data and scripts related to the manuscript \"DNA methylation associates with sex-specific effects of experimentally increased yolk testosterone in wild nestlings\"
by Bernice Sepers, Suvi Ruuskanen, Tjomme van Mastrigt and Kees van Oers.

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Explanation of column names that are included in many data files: ID = identity of an individual great tit (Parus major); brood_origin = brood of origin, the number of the nest box where an individual was born; brood_rearing = brood of rearing, the number of the nest box where an individual was raised; treatment = experimental treatment group, either testosterone (i.e. hatched from egg injected with testosterone + sesame oil) or control (i.e. hatched from egg injected with sesame oil); sex = sex of the individual.

* \"HS_data.xlsx\" includes the raw handling stress data (sheet HS) and the handling stress estimates (sheet HS_ESTI...