Parasites, Hosts and Diseases

The Korea Society for Parasitology and Tropical Medicine (대한기생충학·열대의학회)
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Genome-wide identification of histone lysine methyltransferases and their implications in the epigenetic regulation of eggshell formation-related genes in a trematode parasite Clonorchis sinensis

  • Min-Ji Park (Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine and Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University) ;
  • Woon-Mok Sohn (Department of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Health Sciences, Gyeongsang National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Young-An Bae (Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine and Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University)
  • Received : 2023.11.17
  • Accepted : 2023.12.20
  • Published : 2024.02.29
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Abstract

Epigenetic writers including DNA and histone lysine methyltransferases (DNMT and HKMT, respectively) play an initiative role in the differentiation and development of eukaryotic organisms through the spatiotemporal regulation of functional gene expressions. However, the epigenetic mechanisms have long been suspected in helminth parasites lacking the major DNA methyltransferases DNMT1 and DNMT3a/3b. Very little information on the evolutionary status of the epigenetic tools and their role in regulating chromosomal genes is currently available in the parasitic trematodes. We previously suggested the probable role of a DNMT2-like protein (CsDNMT2) as a genuine epigenetic writer in a trematode parasite Clonorchis sinensis. Here, we analyzed the phylogeny of HKMT subfamily members in the liver fluke and other platyhelminth species. The platyhelminth genomes examined conserved genes for the most of SET domain-containing HKMT and Disruptor of Telomeric Silencing 1 subfamilies, while some genes were expanded specifically in certain platyhelminth genomes. Related to the high gene dosages for HKMT activities covering differential but somewhat overlapping substrate specificities, variously methylated histones were recognized throughout the tissues/organs of C. sinensis adults. The temporal expressions of genes involved in eggshell formation were gradually decreased to their lowest levels proportionally to aging, whereas those of some epigenetic tool genes were re-boosted in the later adult stages of the parasite. Furthermore, these expression levels were significantly affected by treatment with DNMT and HKMT inhibitors. Our data strongly suggest that methylated histones are potent epigenetic markers that modulate the spatiotemporal expressions of C. sinensis genes, especially those involved in sexual reproduction.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Basic Science Research Programs of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2017R1D1A1B03028355) and by the Gachon University research fund of 2018 (GCU-2018-0329) to YAB.

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