%0 Journal Article
%T Peromyscus as a Mammalian Epigenetic Model
%A Kimberly R. Shorter
%A Janet P. Crossland
%A Denessia Webb
%A Gabor Szalai
%A Michael R. Felder
%A Paul B. Vrana
%J Genetics Research International
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/179159
%X Deer mice (Peromyscus) offer an opportunity for studying the effects of natural genetic/epigenetic variation with several advantages over other mammalian models. These advantages include the ability to study natural genetic variation and behaviors not present in other models. Moreover, their life histories in diverse habitats are well studied. Peromyscus resources include genome sequencing in progress, a nascent genetic map, and >90,000£żESTs. Here we review epigenetic studies and relevant areas of research involving Peromyscus models. These include differences in epigenetic control between species and substance effects on behavior. We also present new data on the epigenetic effects of diet on coat-color using a Peromyscus model of agouti overexpression. We suggest that in terms of tying natural genetic variants with environmental effects in producing specific epigenetic effects, Peromyscus models have a great potential. 1. Introduction 1.1. Importance of Epigenetics Understanding epigenetic effects and their associated gene-environment causes is important in that they are thought to play a large role in human disease susceptibility and etiology. Epigenetic effects are also important in agriculture, evolution, and likely in understanding ecological interactions. Gene-environment interactions are central to the concept of epigenetics, which may be defined as heritable phenotypic changes not mediated by changes in DNA sequence. Research within the last decade has revealed that many classes of genes are subject to epigenetic regulation. Such regulation likely explains much of the lineage/tissue-specific gene expression observed in mammals [1]. For example, several stem cell regulatory loci are regulated in this fashion [2, 3]. Moreover, epigenetic responses to environment, including brief exposures, appear to regulate gene expression involved in many biological processes [4¨C7]. These environmental response mechanisms inducing epigenetic change are largely unknown. Environmental sensitivity is illustrated by the epigenetic abnormalities seen in cultured mammalian embryos [8¨C10] and influences of maternal diet and behavior on offspring epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation and histone modifications [11¨C13]. Therefore, epigenetic effects might be predicted to vary across organisms with diverse life histories and reproductive strategies. 1.2. Caveats of Mammalian Systems Surprisingly, there is no widely used mammalian system for studying epigenetic effects in wild-type genomes. Model systems such as rats, dogs, cows, and sheep do not represent natural
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/gri/2012/179159/