课题组前期的工作揭示了斑马鱼子代胚胎完全继承精子CpG位点DNA的甲基化图谱; 并发现哺乳动物小鼠受精后父源和母源DNA都广泛的存在主动的去甲基化方式。然而目前对于其他不同进化层次物种的甲基化重编程和继承方式知之甚少；除此之外，关于DNA甲基化修饰在物种进化中的作用，了解非常有限。因此本课题将研究不同进化层次物种的DNA甲基化继承和重编程方式，（1）比较不同物种（包括后口动物人、小鼠、斑马鱼、海鞘、海胆，前口动物蜜蜂、蚕，及辐射对称动物海葵）DNA甲基化继承和重编程的进化方式，（2）研究甲基化对转座子抑制的进化过程，（3）研究甲基化对新基因的调控作用，（4）研究DNA甲基化对生殖和发育的影响。从而揭示DNA甲基化在物种进化中的作用。本课题的研究将为认识物种的进化提供新的思路。

Our previous studies have revealed that sperm DNA methylome is inherited by zebrafish early embryos, and active demthylation takes place in both paternal and maternal genomes during mammalian early embryogenesis. However, very limited is known about the inheritance and programming of DNA methylome in other species. Additionally, almost nothing is known about the roles of DNA methylation during animal evolution. Herein, we will investigate the DNA methylome programming and inheritance of animals in different evolutionary level. (1) We will compare the dynamics of the programming of different animals, including radiata animal sea aneome, protostome honey bee and silk worm, deuterostome human, mouse, zebrafish, ciona, and sea urchin. (2) The DNA methylation in the transposon repeat during evolution will also been investigated. (3) We will aim to reveal the regulation of DNA methylation on the transposon element. (4) We will also examine the methylation roles on development and reproduction during evolution. Our study will reveal the roles of DNA methylation in animal evolution. This study will open way for the understanding of species evolution from view of epigenetics.

系统地进化性的比较了海葵、海鞘、海胆、蜜蜂、斑马鱼、小鼠和人的甲基化图谱。发现，在早期物种海葵及前口动物昆虫蜜蜂的早期发育过程中不存在DNA甲基化的重编程，在后口动物棘皮动物海胆中开始出现DNA甲基化的重编程，并随物种的进化变地更强。揭示了DNA甲基化重编程过程中的进化规律。并进而发现在早期低等无脊椎动物中（海胆、海鞘）重编程参与的基因主要是与基础代谢相关的基因，而进化到脊椎动物后，更多的重编程基因是与发育相关的通路；到哺乳动物中，进而很多基因是与生殖和免疫相关的通路。说明，随着物种的进化，DNA甲基化重编程调控基因的潜在功能也在进化。并发现，DNA甲基化的进化，适应老基因在更多组织中表达的表观状态。本课题揭示了DNA甲基化继承和重编程在进化中的规律，发现甲基化对基因表达调控的进化机制。