Crustacean epigenetic responses to chemical and environmental stress: a review

Crustaceans are very important for global aquaculture and ecological biomonitoring, yet the precise molecular mechanisms underlying their resilience to environmental fluctuations remain incompletely understood. Recent studies link stress-response variation to epigenetic and epitranscriptomic regulation, but much of the current knowledge on the subject relies predominantly on associative and descriptive correlations. This review synthesizes the existing evidence on four major regulatory layers: DNA methylation (5mC), RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A), histone-associated chromatin dynamics, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). It also discusses their potential roles in physiological plasticity under climate-driven stressors and anthropogenic pollutants. To address existing annotation gaps, a comparative genomic survey of core epigenetic components, including methyltransferases, demethylases, and histone modifiers, across 12 representative crustacean taxa is presented. Based on this information, a framework of interactions that links environmental stress signals to epigenetic remodeling and subsequent stress-response phenotypes is presented. Critical experimental priorities are also highlighted, including the need for locus-specific functional perturbations and rigorously controlled multigenerational bioassays to help distinguish transient physiological acclimation from true transgenerational inheritance. We finally assess the translational potential of these epigenetic signatures as predictive biomarkers, emphasizing that their utility in sustainable aquaculture and environmental management will depend on high-resolution multi-omics integration and robust field validation.