| Abstract: | The extent and patterns of cytosine methylation in blood DNA were assessed, using the technique of methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism(MSAP),in Meishan, Large White pigs and hybrids of their reciprocal crosses. In all, 1 508 fragments, each representing a recognition site cleaved by either or both of the isoschizomers, MspI and HpaII, were amplified using 20 pairs of selective primers. 10.3% of CCGG sites were methylated in Meishan pigs, 10.5% in Large White pigs, and 10.2% in the hybrids. Cytosine methylation was not significantly different among parental lines and hybrids of reciprocal crosses. Four classes of patterns were identified in a comparative assay of cytosine methylation in the parents and hybrids: (1) the same level of methylation in both parental lines and the hybrids; (2) the same level of methylation in either parent or hybrid; (3) an increased level of methylation in the hybrids compared to the parents, and (4) a decreased level of methylation in the hybrids. 11 crossspecific methylation sites were detected in F1 hybrids of Large White×Meishan, and 10 crossspecific methylation sites in the hybrid of Meishan×LargeWhite. In conclusion, (1) the whole methylation status between parental lines and hybrids was not different, but specific sites were differentially methylated; (2) specific sites were differentially methylated between reciprocal crosses; (3) demethylation and hypermethylation of many sites accounted for mostly (more than 50%) methylated sites in the hybrids compared to parental lines. |
