Wildlife Epigenetics: An introduction to applications in conservation 

SPEAKER: Dr. Alexandra Weyrich, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Germany 

Epigenetic response of mountain hare (Lepus timidus) in different climate zones

SPEAKER: Lara Marinangeli, PhD student at FEM and Univ Florence (funded by Univ Parma) in collaboration with Univesity of Padova and Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Germany 

ABSTRACT:

Epigenetics, the study of heritable changes in gene expression (but not DNA sequence), offers a framework for understanding how wild animal species respond to environmental change. Such plasticity could be particularly relevant for wildlife facing rapid shifts in climate, habitat, and anthropogenic pressures when genetic adaptation may be too slow.

In the first seminar by Dr. Weyrich, key epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNAs, that enable organisms to rapidly modulate gene activity in response to external factors will be introduced, and possible applications to conservation discussed.

PhD student Lara Marinangeli will thenoutline her study on differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) showing a potential epigenetic basis for the observed population-level variation in coat color and body mass, i.e. key phenotypic traits that contribute to local adaptation.

HOST: Heidi C. Hauffe