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Epigenetics and Development
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Epigenetics and Development

A special issue of Journal of Developmental Biology (ISSN 2221-3759).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2023) | Viewed by 14733

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Thomas G. H. Diekwisch

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Periodontics, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry, 3302 Gaston Ave, Dallas, TX 75246, USA
Interests: enamel development and evolution; periodontal development and tissue engineering; epigenetics and chromatin
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Once dubbed a series of chemical tags that modify DNA and its associated structures, today’s view of the epigenome during development resembles a dynamic rollercoaster ride that shapes all stages of the development of an organism through mechanisms as diverse as DNA methylation, histone modifications, remodeling via ATP-dependent chromatin complexes, histone variant exchange, Polycomb complex mediated gene silencing, chromatin dynamics, heterochromatin effects on mitotic spindle anchorage, and interactions with environmental factors from nutrition to drugs and stress. While it is clear that epigenetics plays major roles in development, our understanding of the mechanisms involved and their effects on cellular differentiation and organ development is still in its infancy. How do individual epigenetic modifications control lineage specification and tissue specificity? How do various epigenetic mechanisms collaborate to exert control over cell fate commitment? What is the nature of the link between condensed heterochromatin and mitotic spindle formation at the onset of mitosis? Are there any novel mechanisms that govern chromatin dynamics? What happens to the organism if epigenetic control goes awry? Recent studies have been able to whet our appetite to understand the role of the epigenome in development, but there is much to learn, and our Special Issue is destined to explore and bridge some of our knowledge gaps.

Prof. Thomas G.H. Diekwisch
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Developmental Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Development
  • Epigenetics
  • Chromatin
  • Histones
  • Methylation

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Review

19 pages, 1849 KiB  
Review
The Role of the Histone Variant H2A.Z in Metazoan Development
by Yasmin Dijkwel and David J. Tremethick
J. Dev. Biol. 2022, 10(3), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb10030028 - 01 Jul 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3839
Abstract
During the emergence and radiation of complex multicellular eukaryotes from unicellular ancestors, transcriptional systems evolved by becoming more complex to provide the basis for this morphological diversity. The way eukaryotic genomes are packaged into a highly complex structure, known as chromatin, underpins this [...] Read more.
During the emergence and radiation of complex multicellular eukaryotes from unicellular ancestors, transcriptional systems evolved by becoming more complex to provide the basis for this morphological diversity. The way eukaryotic genomes are packaged into a highly complex structure, known as chromatin, underpins this evolution of transcriptional regulation. Chromatin structure is controlled by a variety of different epigenetic mechanisms, including the major mechanism for altering the biochemical makeup of the nucleosome by replacing core histones with their variant forms. The histone H2A variant H2A.Z is particularly important in early metazoan development because, without it, embryos cease to develop and die. However, H2A.Z is also required for many differentiation steps beyond the stage that H2A.Z-knockout embryos die. H2A.Z can facilitate the activation and repression of genes that are important for pluripotency and differentiation, and acts through a variety of different molecular mechanisms that depend upon its modification status, its interaction with histone and nonhistone partners, and where it is deposited within the genome. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge about the different mechanisms by which H2A.Z regulates chromatin function at various developmental stages and the chromatin remodeling complexes that determine when and where H2A.Z is deposited. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epigenetics and Development)
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11 pages, 800 KiB  
Review
Epigenetics and Early Development
by Gokul Gopinathan and Thomas G. H. Diekwisch
J. Dev. Biol. 2022, 10(2), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb10020026 - 16 Jun 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4014
Abstract
The epigenome controls all aspect of eukaryotic development as the packaging of DNA greatly affects gene expression. Epigenetic changes are reversible and do not affect the DNA sequence itself but rather control levels of gene expression. As a result, the science of epigenetics [...] Read more.
The epigenome controls all aspect of eukaryotic development as the packaging of DNA greatly affects gene expression. Epigenetic changes are reversible and do not affect the DNA sequence itself but rather control levels of gene expression. As a result, the science of epigenetics focuses on the physical configuration of chromatin in the proximity of gene promoters rather than on the mechanistic effects of gene sequences on transcription and translation. In the present review we discuss three prominent epigenetic modifications, DNA methylation, histone methylation/acetylation, and the effects of chromatin remodeling complexes. Specifically, we introduce changes to the methylated state of DNA through DNA methyltransferases and DNA demethylases, discuss the effects of histone tail modifications such as histone acetylation and methylation on gene expression and present the functions of major ATPase subunit containing chromatin remodeling complexes. We also introduce examples of how changes in these epigenetic factors affect early development in humans and mice. In summary, this review provides an overview over the most important epigenetic mechanisms and provides examples of the dramatic effects of epigenetic changes in early mammalian development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epigenetics and Development)
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19 pages, 848 KiB  
Review
Do Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance and Immune System Development Share Common Epigenetic Processes?
by Rwik Sen and Christopher Barnes
J. Dev. Biol. 2021, 9(2), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb9020020 - 12 May 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5658
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications regulate gene expression for development, immune response, disease, and other processes. A major role of epigenetics is to control the dynamics of chromatin structure, i.e., the condensed packaging of DNA around histone proteins in eukaryotic nuclei. Key epigenetic factors include enzymes [...] Read more.
Epigenetic modifications regulate gene expression for development, immune response, disease, and other processes. A major role of epigenetics is to control the dynamics of chromatin structure, i.e., the condensed packaging of DNA around histone proteins in eukaryotic nuclei. Key epigenetic factors include enzymes for histone modifications and DNA methylation, non-coding RNAs, and prions. Epigenetic modifications are heritable but during embryonic development, most parental epigenetic marks are erased and reset. Interestingly, some epigenetic modifications, that may be resulting from immune response to stimuli, can escape remodeling and transmit to subsequent generations who are not exposed to those stimuli. This phenomenon is called transgenerational epigenetic inheritance if the epigenetic phenotype persists beyond the third generation in female germlines and second generation in male germlines. Although its primary function is likely immune response for survival, its role in the development and functioning of the immune system is not extensively explored, despite studies reporting transgenerational inheritance of stress-induced epigenetic modifications resulting in immune disorders. Hence, this review draws from studies on transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, immune system development and function, high-throughput epigenetics tools to study those phenomena, and relevant clinical trials, to focus on their significance and deeper understanding for future research, therapeutic developments, and various applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epigenetics and Development)
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