TY - JOUR
T1 - Measuring Animal Age with DNA Methylation
T2 - From Humans to Wild Animals
AU - De Paoli-Iseppi, Ricardo
AU - Deagle, Bruce Emerson
AU - McMahon, Clive
AU - Hindell, Mark
AU - Dickinson, Joanne L.
AU - Jarman, Simon
PY - 2017/8/17
Y1 - 2017/8/17
N2 - DNA methylation (DNAm) is a key mechanism for regulating gene expression in animals and levels are known to change with age. Recent studies have used DNAm changes as a biomarker to estimate chronological age in humans and these techniques are now also being applied to domestic and wild animals. Animal age is widely used to track ongoing changes in ecosystems, however chronological age information is often unavailable for wild animals. An ability to estimate age would lead to improved monitoring of (i) population trends and status and (ii) demographic properties such as age structure and reproductive performance. Recent studies have revealed new examples of DNAm age association in several new species increasing the potential for developing DNAm age biomarkers for a broad range of wild animals. Emerging technologies for measuring DNAm will also enhance our ability to study age-related DNAm changes and to develop new molecular age biomarkers.
AB - DNA methylation (DNAm) is a key mechanism for regulating gene expression in animals and levels are known to change with age. Recent studies have used DNAm changes as a biomarker to estimate chronological age in humans and these techniques are now also being applied to domestic and wild animals. Animal age is widely used to track ongoing changes in ecosystems, however chronological age information is often unavailable for wild animals. An ability to estimate age would lead to improved monitoring of (i) population trends and status and (ii) demographic properties such as age structure and reproductive performance. Recent studies have revealed new examples of DNAm age association in several new species increasing the potential for developing DNAm age biomarkers for a broad range of wild animals. Emerging technologies for measuring DNAm will also enhance our ability to study age-related DNAm changes and to develop new molecular age biomarkers.
U2 - 10.3389/fgene.2017.00106/full
DO - 10.3389/fgene.2017.00106/full
M3 - Review article
SN - 1664-8021
VL - 8
JO - Frontiers in Genetics
JF - Frontiers in Genetics
IS - AUG
M1 - 106
ER -