Role of epigenetics in zebrafish development.

The role of epigenetics in development has garnered attention in recent years due to their ability to modulate the embryonic developmental gene expression in response to the environmental cues. The epigenetic mechanisms - DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNAs have a unique impact on vertebrate development. Zebrafish, a model vertebrate organism is being used widely in developmental studies due to their high fecundability and rapid organogenesis. With increased studies on various aspects of epigenetics in development, this review gives a glimpse of the major epigenetic modifications and their role in zebrafish development. In this review, the basic mechanism behind each modification followed by their status in zebrafish has been reviewed. Further, recent advancements in the epigenetic aspect of zebrafish development have been discussed.