SRA

It is evident that epigenetic factors, especially DNA methylation, play essential roles in obesity development. To learn systematic association of DNA methylation to obesity, we used pig as a model, and sampled eight diverse adipose tissues and two distinct skeletal muscle tissues from three pig breeds with distinguished fat levels: the lean Landrace, the fatty Rongchang, and the feral Tibetan pig. We sequenced 180 methylated DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP) libraries, generated 1,381 Gbp sequence data, and provided a genome-wide DNA methylation map for pig adipose and muscle studies. The analysis showed global similarities and differences between breeds, genders and tissues, and identified the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that are preferentially located in intermediate CpG promoters and CpG island shores. The DMRs in promoters are highly associated to obesity development. We also analyzed methylation and regulation of the known obesity-related genes and predicted novel candidate genes. The comprehensive map here provides a solid base for exploring epigenetic mechanisms of adipose deposition and muscle growth. Overall design: We collected eight diverse adipose tissues and two phenotypically distinct skeletal muscle tissues from three well-defined pig models with distinct fat rates, and studied genome-wide DNA methylation differences among breeds, males and females, and tissues.