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In biology, epigenetics is the study of heritable traits, or a stable change of cell function, that happen without changes to the DNA sequence. The Greek prefix epi-(ἐπι-"over, outside of, around") in epigenetics implies features that are "on top of" or "in addition to" the traditional (DNA sequence based) genetic mechanism of inheritance.
“Epigenetics” is an emerging area of scientific research that shows how environmental influences—children’s experiences—actually affect the expression of their genes. This means the old idea that genes are “set in stone” has been disproven. Nature vs. Nurture is no longer a debate. It’s nearly always both!
- Overview
- Types of epigenetic modifications
- Epigenetic inheritance
- Impact of epigenetics on biomedicine
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epigenetics, the study of the chemical modification of specific genes or gene-associated proteins of an organism. Epigenetic modifications can define how the information in genes is expressed and used by cells. The term epigenetics came into general use in the early 1940s, when British embryologist Conrad Waddington used it to describe the interact...
The principal type of epigenetic modification that is understood is methylation (addition of a methyl group). Methylation can be transient and can change rapidly during the life span of a cell or organism, or it can be essentially permanent once set early in the development of the embryo. Other largely permanent chemical modifications also play a role; these include histone acetylation (addition of an acetyl group), ubiquitination (the addition of a ubiquitin protein), and phosphorylation (the addition of a phosphoryl group). The specific location of a given chemical modification can also be important. For example, certain histone modifications distinguish actively expressed regions of the genome from regions that are not highly expressed. These modifications may correlate with chromosome banding patterns generated by staining procedures common in karyotype analyses. Similarly, specific histone modifications may distinguish actively expressed genes from genes that are poised for expression or genes that are repressed in different kinds of cells.
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It is clear that at least some epigenetic modifications are heritable, passed from parents to offspring in a phenomenon that is generally referred to as epigenetic inheritance, or passed down through multiple generations via transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. The mechanism by which epigenetic information is inherited is unclear; however, it ...
Epigenetic changes not only influence the expression of genes in plants and animals but also enable the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells (cells having the potential to become any of many different kinds of cells). In other words, epigenetic changes allow cells that all share the same DNA and are ultimately derived from one fertilized egg to become specialized—for example, as liver cells, brain cells, or skin cells.
As the mechanisms of epigenetics have become better understood, researchers have recognized that the epigenome—chemical modification at the level of the genome—also influences a wide range of biomedical conditions. This new perception has opened the door to a deeper understanding of normal and abnormal biological processes and has offered the possibility of novel interventions that might prevent or ameliorate certain diseases.
Epigenetic contributions to disease fall into two classes. One class involves genes that are themselves regulated epigenetically, such as the imprinted (parent-specific) genes associated with Angelman syndrome or Prader-Willi syndrome. Clinical outcomes in cases of these syndromes depend on the degree to which an inherited normal or mutated gene is or is not expressed. The other class involves genes whose products participate in the epigenetic machinery and thereby regulate the expression of other genes. For example, the gene MECP2 (methyl CpG binding protein 2) encodes a protein that binds to specific methylated regions of DNA and contributes to the silencing of those sequences. Mutations that impair the MECP2 gene can lead to Rett syndrome.
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Many tumours and cancers involve epigenetic changes attributable to environmental factors. These changes include a general decrease in methylation, which is thought to contribute to the increased expression of growth-promoting genes, punctuated by gene-specific increases in methylation that are thought to silence tumour-suppressor genes. Epigenetic signaling attributed to environmental factors has also been associated with some characteristics of aging by researchers that studied the apparently unequal aging rates in genetically identical twins.
Epigenetics is the study of how genes are chemically modified and regulated by factors other than DNA sequence. Learn about the types, mechanisms, and impacts of epigenetic modifications on development, health, and disease.
4 days ago · Definition. Epigenetics (also sometimes called epigenomics) is a field of study focused on changes in DNA that do not involve alterations to the underlying sequence. The DNA letters and the proteins that interact with DNA can have chemical modifications that change the degrees to which genes are turned on and off.
Jun 11, 2021 · Epigenetics is the study of how cells control gene activity without changing the DNA sequence. Learn how epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation and histone modification, influence protein production and human health, and how they can be affected by environmental factors.
Feb 16, 2024 · Epigenetics is the study of how our environment and behaviors change the chemicals attached to our genes, affecting our health. Learn about epigenetic marks, factors that influence the epigenome and diseases linked to epigenetics.
Aug 14, 2023 · Epigenetics is the study of heritable and stable changes in gene expression that occur through alterations in the chromosome rather than in the DNA sequence. [1] Despite not directly altering the DNA sequence, epigenetic mechanisms can regulate gene expression through chemical modifications of DNA bases and changes to the chromosomal ...
