New paper: Review paper on epigenetics in colouration

 New paper from final year PhD student Nic Strowbridge. Nic's PhD looks at epitranscriptomics in different skin colour of salamanders. Methylation is a top new topic spurred on by advances in sequencing technology (which Nic is also using!) Using that momentum and finding lots of literature gap, Nic led this excellent and topical review paper. Check it out here - Open access! 


Nicholas Strowbridge, David R. Vieites, Michael G. Ritchie, Kathryn R. Elmer. 2025. Contributions of epigenomic and epitranscriptomic methylation to animal colouration. Trends in Genetics 
Abstract
Due to its high variation and its diversity of functional roles, animal colouration has long been a fascinating phenotype for geneticists. While the loci underpinning colour are relatively well known, there remain components of unexplained variation. The contribution of DNA and RNA methylation to these molecular mechanisms of colouration is only now being explored. Recent research has shown that DNA (m5C) methylation plays a role in plastic colouration change, the development of colour, and adult intra- and interindividual colouration differences. Studies on RNA (m6A) methylation are few but suggest that it also contributes to colour differences. Emerging advances in native DNA and RNA sequencing will allow a novel understanding of methylation contributions to colour evolution and development.


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