ANALYSIS OF DNA METHYLATION IN THE BODY WALL OF SEA CUCUMBERAPOSTICHOPUS JAPONICUS WITH SKIN ULCERATION BY THE METHYLATION-SENSITIVE AMPLIFIED POLYMORPHISM (MSAP)

The technology of methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP) was used to investigate the DNA methylation patterns at CCGG sites in the body wall of the healthy and diseased Apostichopus japonicus. The re-sults showed that the methylation levels of body wall of the healthy A. japonicus, ulcered and normal body wall of the diseased ones were (18.60±5.61)%, (26.70±6.82)% and (19.53±3.34)%, among which the full methylations were (13.97±4.86)%, (20.08±5.26)% and (15.42±2.61)%, and the hemi-methylations were (4.63±3.59)%, (6.62±3.80)% and (4.11±2.08)%, respectively. The total methylation and full methylation levels in ulcer body wall of diseased A. japonicus were obviously higher than those of normal body wall in both healthy and diseased A. japonicas that have no diffe-rence in the total methylation level and full methylation level in the body wall. There were no significant differences in the hemi-methylations among three groups. These results suggest that the ulceration of body wall may be associated with DNA methylation.