Data from: Ocean acidification influences host DNA methylation and phenotypic plasticity in environmentally susceptible corals

As climate change challenges organismal fitness by creating a phenotype-environment mismatch, phenotypic plasticity generated by epigenetic mechanisms (e.g., DNA methylation) can provide a temporal buffer for genetic adaptation. Epigenetic mechanisms may be crucial for sessile benthic marine organisms, such as reef-building corals, where ocean acidification (OA) and warming reflect in strong negative responses. We tested the potential for scleractinian corals to exhibit phenotypic plasticity associated with a change in DNA methylation in response to OA. Clonal coral fragments of the environmentally sensitive Pocillopora damicornis and more environmentally robust Montipora capitata were exposed to fluctuating ambient pH (7.9-7.65) and low pH (7.6-7.35) conditions in common garden tanks for ~six weeks. M. capitata responded weakly, or acclimated more quickly, to OA, with no difference in calcification, minimal separation of metabolomic profiles, and no change in DNA methylation between treatments. Conversely, P. damicornis exhibited diminished calcification at low pH, stronger separation in metabolomic profiles, and responsiveness of DNA methylation to treatment. Our data suggest corals differ in their temporal dynamics and sensitivity for environmentally triggered real-time epigenetic reprogramming. The generation of potentially heritable plasticity via environmental induction of DNA methylation provides an avenue for assisted evolution applications in corals under rapid climate change.随着气候变化通过引发表型-环境错配对生物适合度造成挑战，由表观遗传机制（epigenetic mechanisms）所介导的表型可塑性，能够为遗传适应提供时间缓冲。表观遗传机制对于固着底栖海洋生物（如造礁珊瑚）可能至关重要，因为海洋酸化（OA）与海洋变暖会对其产生强烈的负面效应。我们针对石珊瑚（scleractinian corals）响应海洋酸化时是否存在与DNA甲基化（DNA methylation）改变相关的表型可塑性展开了测试。将对环境敏感的鹿角杯形珊瑚（Pocillopora damicornis）以及更具环境耐受性的板叶孔珊瑚（Montipora capitata）的克隆珊瑚片段，置于共同培育池中，分别暴露于波动的环境pH条件（7.9~7.65）与低pH条件（7.6~7.35），培养时长约六周。板叶孔珊瑚对海洋酸化的响应较弱，或更快完成驯化，两组处理间的钙化作用无显著差异，代谢组谱仅存在微小差异，且DNA甲基化水平未发生改变。与之相反，鹿角杯形珊瑚在低pH条件下出现钙化作用减弱，代谢组谱差异更为显著，且DNA甲基化水平响应了处理条件的变化。我们的研究数据表明，珊瑚在环境触发的实时表观遗传重编程的时间动态与敏感性上存在差异。通过环境诱导DNA甲基化产生潜在可遗传的表型可塑性，为快速气候变化下的珊瑚辅助进化（assisted evolution）应用提供了可行路径。