Fig. 2

Application of DNA methylation to reproductive traits in poultry. a Through DNA methylation analysis of the hypothalamus and ovary of strongly inbred chickens, the marker genes SRD5A1 and CDC27, which may be the inhibition of inbreeding of Langshan chickens, were found in the DMRs region. b Although the overall distribution of DNA methylation was similar to that of mammals, sperm DNA showed hypomethylation, which was related to the deletion of DNMT3L cofactor in the chicken genome. And a DNA methylation clock based on LMR was established for broiler age prediction. c A comprehensive genome-wide DNA methylation landscape in chicken germ cells was reported. And by revealing the DNA methylation patterns of individual genes, it was found that some genes precisely regulated by DNA methylation were associated with cancer and viral infections, such as AKT1 and CTNNB1