Genetic effects on DNA methylation variation

Past

How much variation in DNA methylation is explained by genetic variation?

During my internship at the NIOO-KNAW, I joined Dr. Bernice Sepers and Prof. Kees van Oers to investigate sources of variation in DNA methylation. Using the epigenetic data from the partial-cross fostering experiments that Bernice conducted during her PhD project on great tits (Parus major), we partitioned the variance explained by the genome vs. the environment.

We showed that the majority of DNA methylation variation is explained by genetics in great tit nestlings. Find out more in our publication in Molecular Biology and Evolution.