How Does The Change Affect Our Grandchildren?

Epigenetics is a study that entails the heritage changes in gene expressions, which includes both the active and the inactive genes; the changes do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence. Meaning, it is a change in phenotypes without the differences in genotypes and consequently, affect how the cells read the genes. The epigenetic modification is a natural occurrence but apparently can be influenced by other several factors, including diseases, the environment, and age. Epigenetic changes can result in adverse damages and can end up causing infections such as cancer (Barton et al, 2016). This paper looks at what epigenetics entails, the hidden life of our genes, how food affects genes and how one can elongate life by improving health status.

Epigenetics, involves the expression of phenotypical characteristics in an individual without directly altering the genetic code. Instead the phenotypes manifest through the use of external factors, such as, trauma, stressors, environment and chemical exposure that result in the silencing and alteration of gene expression without altering or mutating the genetic code. This essay will look into the importance of the study of epigenetics through the effects of epigenetics on genes, as well as the effects of experience and inheritance on the development of epigenetic based phenotypical characteristics.

Burying the dogma of the genomics fixity, epigenetics demonstrates that our lifestyle changes our genes and we pass these mutations on. This discovery opens up new prospects of cure for many diseases. At the level of our genome, there are two kinds of genes: exons which are genes that are expressed and induce the production of certain proteins, and introns which are genes that are eliminated in the transcription of the RNA, and which therefore are not expressed. Environmental conditions could change that by opening introns or closing exons with all possible intermediate situations between these two extremes, from this perspective, epigenetics would correspond to an open or closed switch, to varying degrees. These different positions of switches then open the door to many combinations of genes. This seems to go against a current scientific dogma that considers the genome of a person is inherited from the parents and then remains fixed and determined for his entire life. Moreover, according to the evolutionary theory of Darwin, if mutations occur in a species facing a changing environment, these changes occur only over extremely long periods of time that often number in the thousands or even millions years. Epigenetics shows that on the contrary, these changes are a natural way and very common in nature. With Epigenetics: we can change our

It may be possible to pass down epigenetic changes to future generations if the changes occur in sperm or egg cells. Most epigenetic changes that occur in sperm and egg cells get erased when the two combine to form a fertilized egg in a process called "reprogramming." This reprogramming allows the cells of the fetus to "start from scratch" and make their own epigenetic changes. However, scientists think that some of the epigenetic changes in parents ' sperm and egg cells may avoid the reprogramming process and make it through to the next generation. If this is true, things like the food a person eats before they conceive could affect their future child. Scientists now think epigenetics can play a role in the development of some cancers. For instance, an epigenetic change that silences a tumor suppressor gene, such as a gene that keeps the growth of the cell in check, could lead to uncontrolled cellular growth. Another example might be an epigenetic change that "turns off" genes that help repair damaged DNA, leading to an increase in DNA damage, which in turn, increases cancer risk. (US, National Institutes of Health)

Epigenetics refers to external modifications to DNA that turn genes on or off. These alterations do not change the DNA sequence, but instead, they affect how cells read genes. One common example of an epigenetic change is DNA methylation. DNA methylation is the addition of a methyl group to part of the DNA molecule which prevents certain genes from being expressed. It should be noted that epigenetics is a fairly new subdivision in genetics and its importance in evolution and heritability is currently being developed and debated (Furrow 2011).

Genetics is a field of science that has long been studied, but researchers and scientists have discovered a new branch that changes the way genetics and evolution has been looked at before. Deepak Chopra and Rudolph E. Tanzi skillfully describe this new subject in their book Super Genes. The book includes information on the history and discoveries of epigenetics, the changes the readers can make to unlock and harness the power of their genes, and the research and experiments that prove the benefits of those changes. Ultimately, the purpose of Super Genes is to inform the readers that they can control their own genes, despite preceding understandings of biological destinies, by making favorable lifestyle choices that leans towards the state of optimum health and well being.

A related phrase described by Waddington to help elaborate the phenomenon of epigenetics, the ‘epigenetic landscape’ attempts to explain how identical genotypes could result in a wide variety of phenotypic variation through the process of development. This epigenetic landscape can be dynamic – capturing genetic, environmental, and cell lineage effects – and has been shown to be at least partly heritable. (Szyf, M. (2015) Nongenetic inheritance and transgenerational epigenetics. Trends Mol. Med. 21, 134–144). The epigenetic code is hypothesized to be a defining code in every eukaryotic cell consisting of the specific epigenetic modifications in each cell. While in one individual the genetic code in each cell is the same, the epigenetic code is tissue & cell

Researchers first thought the genes you receive from your parents are set in stone since they are made of a genetic code set in our DNA sequence;however, they are discovering that there is a second layer of structure that combines with DNA to decide whether or not a gene is active or not, called the epigenome. The epigenome consists of the DNA, histones, a protein DNA is wrapped around, and chemical tags. The epigenome alters the genetic code by directing signals. The signals come from the environment, which are reacted upon by epigenetic tags to turn a gene either on or off without affecting the DNA sequence. Certain things from our environment that send signals to epigenetic tags to change our genes in the epigenome includes the following:

Before conducting research and watching numerous informational videos on epigenetics, I would have never believed that when my grandmother was my age, she made dietary decisions that have affected me. Technically speaking, epigenetics simply means above genetics. In other words, epigenetics is the traits that you and I inherit, but do not necessarily necessitate the sequence of genes. I took me a while to actually grasp the concept until I thought of it from a musical perspective. Imagine our DNA helix strands as a musical score. There are different music notes as there are genes. If someone were to play Beethoven’s Symphony Number 5 correctly, it would sound the same every time. Basically, if one note is changed, the whole musical piece

A roadmap to our future is predetermined by our genetical makeup. However, can external influences such as environment and lifestyle unlock who we are? The study to understand heritable changes in genetical expression is called Epigenetics. Héctor González-Pardo and Marino Pérez Álvarez(2013) describes Epigenetics as the examination of the heritable complex genetical alterations that are shaped by environmental factors which don’t cause changes to the DNA Sequence. In other words, different cell/organism must use the same script in different ways. The study of epigenetics explores the idea that DNA is a script and not a manual. Accordingly, we can positively influence our lives as well as the lives of our offspring by leading a healthy lifestyle.

The observatory sense demonstrated by scientists to eventually conclude that inheritance is more than genes and the DNA sequence is both commendable and insightful. It was surprising to find out that genes are not the only genetic components passed from one generation another. They are not the only one that influences transgenerational changes. More surprising was the revelations that the human genome has more than 30,000 genes that could be switched on and off due to environmental stimuli. Essentially, genes experience epigenetic changes. These chemical labels accrue over time and influence the turning on and off (BBC Channel TV, 2015). The switching on and off of genes causes humans to have different kind of cells. It is notable that the effect of the environment is a major factor in explaining the hereditary patterns and the

The PBS video called “Epigenetics” brought to light some very interesting views. Through rats scientist have been able to see the works of epigenetics and believe that the finding have led to the idea that the change in genetics has the same effect on humans. The most interesting part of the video was that younger pairs of twins have very similar genes, but the older pairs of twin have more epigenetic difference in their genes. This validates the idea that the epigenetic difference in old twins is caused by environmental factors such as lifestyle choices. The idea also alludes to the idea that our parents and grandparents healthy and epigenetics may affect my heath and my children’s health. This leads to the inclination that my child’s health

Epigenetics is a field where advances are being made daily. Epigenetics is defined as “heritable changes in gene expression that occur without a change in DNA sequence,” as stated by Dr. Alan Wolffe. A way in which we can understand this definition is by taking the analogy of a card game. The cards, the DNA sequence, have been dealt and will not change, however we need to understand how to play the cards, the rules, which is epigenetics. The guidelines can vary and completely change the way the card game is played and who comes out on top. The rules that are studied and understood through this research paper are those of DNA methylation and chromatin. These changes can produce

For years, scientists believed DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid, was the end-all-be-all: a mould for our cells to be created from. Which does not sound far-fetched since DNA contains all of the information needed for replication, differentiation, growth, and development, in addition to the countless cellular fates, as described in Waddington’s landscape. Instead, DNA is a guide for our cells, and Epigenetics is the tool that coerces them into their final cellular form. The Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology Is Rewriting Our Understanding of Genetics, Disease, and Inheritance written by Nessa Carey, outlines the process of DNA versus Epigenetics, and the developments they have had within the scientific field. This paper will examine the fundamental distinction constructed by Nessa Carey between DNA as a script versus a template. This analogy of DNA as a script.

Epigenetics can be hereditable or environmental factors that affect the expression of genes and lead to changes in gene expression. Unlike genetics, epigenetics does not only have to do with which genes are passed down to the offspring and the DNA sequence. The environmental conditions of the offspring’s parents impact the genes in their eggs and sperms by “switching on” certain genes and “switching of” others (Dowshen). Since the genes expression of the gametes are affect, the phenotypes of the offspring will change. Even in a person’s lifetime, environmental factors such as stress, chemical exposure, and diet can continue to impact gene expression through DNA methylation. During DNA methylation, a methyl group is randomly added to a 5-carbon cytosine ring, making 5-methylcytosine and these groups inhibit transcription. (Cheriyedath). Due the fact that transcription is not possible, the expressing of the genes in that section of the DNA strand will be suppressed. The attachment of the methyl group to DNA is not determined, which means that