89-3 Sat Jan 2 Epigenetic potential in house sparrow (Passer domesticus) introductions Hanson, HE*; Wang, C; Zimmer, C; Schrey, AW; Liebl, AL; Ravinet, M; Jiang, RHY; Maddox, JD; Martin, LB; University of South Florida; University of South Florida; University of South Florida; Georgia Southern University Armstrong Campus; University of South Dakota; University of Nottingham; University of South Florida; Field Museum of Natural History, Universidad Científica del Perú, American Public University System; University of South Florida haleyhanson@mail.usf.edu https://haleyehanson.weebly.com
During vertebrate invasions and range expansions, organisms may rely on epigenetic modifications to endure the suite of challenges faced in new areas. However, individuals may differ in their epigenetic potential (EP), or the capacity for epigenetic modifications to occur within the genome. One form of EP, the number of CpG sites (e.g. motifs at which DNA methylation can occur), was found to differ across an ongoing house sparrow (Passer domesticus) range expansion in Kenya. At the vanguard of their range, birds maintained more CpG sites (higher EP) than at the site of their introduction due to selection acting to preserve CpG sites. To better understand the spatial and temporal dynamics of EP, we utilized museum specimens to query EP across five independent invasions 30, 50, and 100 years post-introduction. We found that house sparrows early in their invasions had the highest EP and EP decreased over time across invasions.
