On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of our new research article on the current issue of Marine Ecology Progress Series:
Tatsch, A., Proietti, M., Zanini, R., Fruet, P., & Secchi, E. (2021). Beyond genetic differences: Epigenetic variation in common bottlenose dolphins *Tursiops truncatus* from contrasting marine ecosystems. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 671, 219–233. *Abstract: *Recent genetic and morphological studies have indicated an incipient ecological divergence between 2 ecotypes of common bottlenose dolphin *Tursiops truncatus* in the Southwestern Atlantic. However, genetic variation is not the only molecular mechanism that alters the phenotype of these animals: epigenetics can also influence phenotypic plasticity, as well as the ecological adaptation and divergence of natural populations. Nevertheless, very little is known about the role that epigenetics plays in the population ecology of marine mammals. In this work, we tested whether there are differences in DNA methylation patterns between a coastal and an offshore ecotype of common bottlenose dolphin. Methylation patterns were analyzed using the methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism technique on biopsy samples collected from animals of both ecotypes. We found consistent differences in DNA methylation patterns between coastal and offshore individuals. We also confirmed the genetic differences described in previous studies, indicating that the divergence between ecotypes has both genetic and epigenetic components. Our data show that it is possible to differentiate animals from the coastal and offshore ecotypes using DNA methylation markers, supporting the hypothesis that contrasting environments — which are decisive for the ecological divergence of these populations — lead to epigenetic modifications in common bottlenose dolphins. The article is available at https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13761 Please feel free to contact us via email (ana.tat...@furg.br) for any questions or a pdf copy of the paper. Best regards, Ana Carolina Tatsch MSc. Ana Carolina Correa Tatsch Doutoranda do Programa de Pós-graduação em Oceanografia Biológica - PPGOB Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha- EcoMega Instituto de Oceanografia - IO Laboratório de Ecologia Molecular Marinha - LEMM Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG Rio Grande/RS - Brasil
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