Intestinal epigenotype of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) associates with tenacibaculosis and gut microbiota composition

Søren B. Hansen*, Davide Bozzi, Sarah S. T. Mak, Cecilie G. Clausen, Tue K. Nielsen, Miyako Kodama, Lars H. Hansen, M. Thomas P. Gilbert, Morten T. Limborg

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)
31 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

It remains a challenge to obtain the desired phenotypic traits in aquacultural production of Atlantic salmon, and part of the challenge might come from the effect that host-associated microorganisms have on the fish phenotype. To manipulate the microbiota towards the desired host traits, it is critical to understand the factors that shape it. The bacterial gut microbiota composition can vary greatly among fish, even when reared in the same closed system. While such microbiota differences can be linked to diseases, the molecular effect of disease on host-microbiota interactions and the potential involvement of epigenetic factors remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the DNA methylation differences associated with a tenacibaculosis outbreak and microbiota displacement in the gut of Atlantic salmon. Using Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing (WGBS) of distal gut tissue from 20 salmon, we compared the genome-wide DNA methylation levels between uninfected individuals and sick fish suffering from tenacibaculosis and microbiota displacement. We discovered >19,000 differentially methylated cytosine sites, often located in differentially methylated regions, and aggregated around genes. The 68 genes connected to the most significant regions had functions related to the ulcerous disease such as epor and slc48a1a but also included prkcda and LOC106590732 whose orthologs are linked to microbiota changes in other species. Although the expression level was not analysed, our epigenetic analysis suggests specific genes potentially involved in host-microbiota interactions and more broadly it highlights the value of considering epigenetic factors in efforts to manipulate the microbiota of farmed fish.

Original languageEnglish
Article number110629
JournalGenomics
Volume115
Issue number3
Number of pages9
ISSN0888-7543
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors

Keywords

  • Aquaculture
  • Atlantic salmon
  • DNA methylation
  • Gut dysbiosis
  • Tenacibaculosis
  • WGBS

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