Diapause represents a crucial adaptive strategy used by insects to cope with changing environmental conditions. In North China, the Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis) enters a winter larval diapause stage. Although there is growing evidence implicating epigenetic mechanisms in diapause regulation, it remains unclear whether dynamic genome-wide profiles of epigenetic modifications exist during this process. By investigating multiple histone modifications, we have discovered the essential roles of H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 during diapause of the Asian corn borer. Building upon previous findings in vertebrates highlighting the connection between DNA methylation and repressive histone methylations, we have examined changes in the genome-wide profile of H3K9me3, H3K27me3, and DNA methylation at the nondiapause, prediapause, and diapause stages. Data analysis reveals significant alterations in these three modifications during diapause. Moreover, we observe a correlation between the H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 modification sites during diapause, whereas DNA modifications show little association with either H3K9me3 or H3K27me3. Integrative analysis of epigenome and expression data unveils the relationship between these epigenetic modifications and gene expression levels at corresponding diapause stages. Furthermore, by studying the function of histone modifications on genes known to be important in diapause, especially those involved in the juvenile pathway, we discover that the juvenile hormone pathway lies downstream from H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 histone modifications. Finally, the analysis of gene loci with modified modifications unreported in diapause uncovers novel pathways potentially crucial in diapause regulation. This study provides a valuable resource for future investigations aiming to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of diapause.

中文翻译：

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亚洲玉米螟滞育期间 H3K9me3、H3K27me3 修饰和 DNA 甲基化的全基因组谱


滞育是昆虫应对不断变化的环境条件的重要适应策略。在华北地区，亚洲玉米螟（ Ostriniafurnacalis ）进入冬季幼虫滞育阶段。尽管越来越多的证据表明滞育调控中的表观遗传机制，但仍不清楚在此过程中是否存在表观遗传修饰的动态全基因组谱。通过研究多种组蛋白修饰，我们发现了 H3K9me3 和 H3K27me3 在亚洲玉米螟滞育期间的重要作用。基于先前在脊椎动物中强调 DNA 甲基化和抑制性组蛋白甲基化之间联系的发现，我们检查了 H3K9me3、H3K27me3 和 DNA 甲基化在非滞育、滞育前和滞育阶段的全基因组谱的变化。数据分析揭示了滞育期间这三种修饰的显着变化。此外，我们观察到滞育期间 H3K9me3 和 H3K27me3 修饰位点之间的相关性，而 DNA 修饰与 H3K9me3 或 H3K27me3 几乎没有关联。表观基因组和表达数据的综合分析揭示了这些表观遗传修饰与相应滞育阶段基因表达水平之间的关系。此外，通过研究已知在滞育中重要的基因（尤其是那些参与保幼途径的基因）上的组蛋白修饰的功能，我们发现保幼激素途径位于 H3K9me3 和 H3K27me3 组蛋白修饰的下游。最后，对滞育中未报道的具有修饰修饰的基因位点的分析揭示了在滞育调节中可能至关重要的新途径。 这项研究为未来旨在阐明滞育潜在机制的研究提供了宝贵的资源。