The, Genetic And Epigenetic Mutations

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.

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

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).

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

The genome is the complete set of an individual’s inheritable traits or it’s DNA. As a fetus develops, signals are received that cause incremental change in the gene expression patterns. The DNA in our bodies is wrapped around proteins called histone. The histone and DNA are covered in chemical tags. This structure is called an epigenome. The epigenome shapes the structure of the genome. Epigenetic marks are modifications of DNA and histones. The epigenome tightly wraps inactive genes and allows active genes to be more easily accessible. The epigenome adjusts specific genes in response to our changing environment. The programming of neurons through epigenetic mechanisms is critical in neural development. A type of cellular memory is formed when those changes occur. These are epigenetic tags. Each tag records the cell’s experiences on the DNA. This is to help stabilize gene expression. Over time, and with thousands of different experiences, an epigenetic profile forms for each cell type. Each one is unique, with a distinct identity and a specialized function. A flexible epigenome allows us to adjust and learn from our mistakes. The epigenome responds to signals. These signals come from a variety of places. From fetal development to old age, our epigenome is effected by our environmental factors.

The abnormalities in the epigenome such as lower level of methylation. Cancer cell DNA due to low methylation is highly active so it is more likely to be

I also learned that these epigenomes change because of environmental factors which include what we do, what we eat, what we drink, or what we smoke. This has been said to be one of the pivotal contraries amongst epigenetics and genetics. I found the groundbreaking study identical twins very interesting. The point of this experiment was to discover if twins were epigenetically identical or not. After obtaining DNA from 40 sets of twins, researchers were able to conclude that as twins age, the chance of epigenetic differences increases.

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

By studying Epigenetics, we learn about the changes in heritable genome function without changes in the DNA sequence itself. Transgenerational inheritance requires a chromosomal or epigenetic change in the germline allowing the information to be passed on from one generation to another (Anway et al 2005a). In order for epigenetic marks to be passed down, the gametes need to conserve their epigenomes by avoiding two reprogramming events; in the gamete and zygote. It has generally been accepted that epigenetic marks are removed and re-established in the preceding generation, thus not inherited. However, studies being carried out on model organisms are challenging this concept and suggesting that this may not be entirely correct. There may be an incomplete erasure of epigenetic marks resulting in transgenerational epigenetic inheritance (Youngson and Whitelaw 2008). The present generations were being synthesised in the womb of their grandmother. Therefore, did the food my grandmother ate affect my development? Could the air we breathe affect our grandchildren? Many questions are still unknown in this field. The environment and external factors may cause additional information to be added on top of the genome resulting in phenotypic variation and disease leading to transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Epigenetic modifications of the germline are not only important to evolutionary biologists and disease aetiology but also ecologists, as incomplete epigenetic changes can

There is a concept in science that has been taught since the beginning of genetics. The genome lays down the blue prints for most all of a person’s physical features, but an embryo is a blank slate. Its epigenome doesn’t carry anything down from the parents. What’s not being taught today is that this information isn’t completely true. The epigenome carries epigenetic tags of past experiences, which can be passed down to future generations. The University of Utah Health Sciences Department gives a simple version of the definition of epigenetics, “As an organism grows and develops, carefully orchestrated chemical reactions activate and deactivate parts of the genome at strategic times and in specific locations. Epigenetics is the study of these chemical reactions and the factors that influence them.” There is no modification to the DNA sequence, rather the way cells read the genes is changed. Epigenetic tags are turned on and off based on signals from the environment, which is important to help us adapt to the environment around us and to form new memories. Because the body is made up mostly of differentiated cells, there is plenty of room for change depending on the stimulus in early development through old age.

The development and importance of epigenetics has revealed to the world the explanation of many gene expressing mutations also factors that may account for genetic variation. The result of this observation helped many scientists around the world cures as well as new analysis methods to help survivors .The understanding obtained from the discovery of epigenetics has and will continue to inform ways of preventing and manipulating genetic expressions to our advantage throughout these upcoming generations. Throughout this essay response, the following information will cover the focus on how epigenetics can account for genetic variability in organisms, it will also relate to factors

Epigenetics studies genetic effects not encoded in the DNA sequence of an organism, hence the prefix epi- . Such effects on cellular and physiological phenotypic traits may result from external or environmental factors that switch genes on and off and affect how cells express genes. These alterations may or may not be heritable, although the use of the term epigenetic to describe processes that are heritable is controversial. instead, non-genetic factors cause the organism 's genes to behave differently.

Epigenetics stems from the observation that genotypically identical cells can exhibit alternative and stably heritable phenotypes. These traits, along with the chromosomal mechanisms that produce them and ensure their propagation without alterations in the primary DNA sequence, are referred to as “epigenetic.”(7-9). Alternatively, regions in the genome where the epigenetic state varies and results in alternative phenotypes are referred to as “epialleles” (10).

Since the word epigenetics was coined by Conrad Waddington in the 1940’s, the term has been used largely to describe phenotypic changes that do not adhere to the typical Mendelian inheritance expectations for an organism’s genome (Waddington C, 1942). To put it simply the term referrers to intrinsic or extrinsic forces that alter expected visible changes in an organism and these changes are often heritable by offspring (NIH, 2015). This should not be confused with mechanisms such as point mutations which also can alter genes by producing a different genotype, but rather should be thought of as a change in state of genetic material leading to alterations in the expression potential of a cell and its substrates (Ledford H, 2008). Genes are the blueprints of every organism and as such they specificity lay out the formation and function of that organism and everything within it. These same genes are what is passed on to offspring and thus are considered heritable. However, since most organisms obtain two sets of these blueprints, one from each parent, the genotype and thus phenotype are not always a clear cut predictable outcome due to mechanisms such as crossing over, chromatin remodeling or even epigenetics. Genes are stretches of deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA) that encode ribonucleic acids (RNA) that in the end encode for a polypeptide or chain of polyepties that have a specific function in the organism such as regulation or expression (Alberts B, 2002). Epigenetics can

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