Epigenetics represents a widely accepted set of mechanisms for how organisms respond to the environment by regulating phenotypic plasticity and life history transitions. Understanding the effects of environmental control on phenotypes and fitness, via epigenetic mechanisms, is essential for understanding the ability of organisms to rapidly adapt to environmental change. This review highlights the significance of environmental temperature on epigenetic control of phenotypic variation, with the aim of furthering our understanding of how epigenetics might help or hinder species' adaptation to climate change. It outlines how epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation and histone/chromatin modification, i) respond to temperature and regulate thermal stress responses in different kingdoms of life, ii) regulate temperature-dependent expression of key developmental processes and seasonal phenotypes, iii) facilitate transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of thermal adaptation, iv) adapt populations to local and global climate gradients and finally v) facilitate in biological invasions. Although the evidence points towards a conserved role of epigenetics in responding to temperature change, there appears to be an element of temperature- and species-specificity in the specific effects of temperature change on epigenetic modifications and resulting phenotypic responses. The review identifies areas of future research in epigenetic responses to environmental temperature change.

中文翻译：

---

表观遗传对温度和气候的反应

表观遗传学代表了一套被广泛接受的机制，用于解释生物体如何通过调节表型可塑性和生命史转变来应对环境。通过表观遗传机制了解环境控制对表型和适应性的影响对于了解生物体快速适应环境变化的能力至关重要。本综述强调了环境温度对表型变异的表观遗传控制的重要性，旨在进一步了解表观遗传学如何帮助或阻碍物种适应气候变化。它概述了表观遗传修饰（包括 DNA 甲基化和组蛋白/染色质修饰）如何，i）响应温度并调节不同生命王国的热应激反应，ii）调节关键发育过程和季节性表型的温度依赖性表达，iii）促进跨代热适应的表观遗传，iv）使种群适应当地和全球气候梯度，最后v）促进生物入侵。尽管有证据表明表观遗传学在响应温度变化方面发挥保守作用，但温度变化对表观遗传修饰和由此产生的表型反应的具体影响似乎存在温度和物种特异性的因素。该综述确定了对环境温度变化的表观遗传反应的未来研究领域。