Epigenetics of the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis and its use as experimental animal

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24658174
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General fisheries
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University
• Principal Investigator: HAGIWARA Atsushi 長崎大学, 水産・環境科学総合研究科(水産), 教授 (50208419)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SUGA Koushirou 長崎大学, 水産・環境科学総合研究科(水産), 准教授 (60569185)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 水産学 / シオミズツボワムシ / エピジェネティクス / 実験動物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Starvation treatment to maternal rotifers resulted in the rise in mixis induction of Brachionus manjavacas, and it inherited up to the 38th generation. This may be explained by epigenetic inheritance involving methylation of the DNA. A primer was designed using partial base sequence of the methyl transferase (DNA methylase). As a result of templating cDNA of B. manjavacas, and having performed PCR with the primer designed on base sequence of Brachionus plicatilis s.s., the amplification of the DNA fragment of predicted size was confirmed.

Free Research Field

水産増殖学、応用プランクトン学