Show August 08, 2012 | Jul - Aug 2012 issuePerhaps one of the only things we remember from eighth-grade biology is that DNA doesn’t change. The 3 billion letters that make up your personal genome are with you for life, a master blueprint handed down from your parents. But not everything about how your genes operate is programmed at birth. Simon Gregory, an associate professor of medical genetics and codirector of the Duke Epigenetics and Epigenomics Program, explains: While the sequence of DNA may not be affected by your environment, the way genes work—called gene expression—can. Think of DNA as a computer’s hardware; there may be several types of softwareprograms that can regulate what the hardware does. Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression that don’t involve changing the underlying DNA—effectively, software changes that cause alterations in gene function. Environmental factors such as food, drugs, or exposure to toxins can cause epigenetic changes by altering the way molecules bind to DNA or changing the structure of proteins that DNA wraps around. These structural changes can result in slight changes in gene activity; they also can produce more dramatic changes by switching genes on when they should be off or vice versa. These changes are heritable, meaning they can be passed on from parent cell to daughter cell within the body, and from parent to child. An extraordinary study of survivors of the Dutch famine during World War II, for example, has shown that the effect of epigenetic changes caused by hunger don’t show up in the survivors’ children, but they do in their children’s children. This perhaps suggests the adage should not merely be, “You are what you eat,” but also, “You are what your grandparents ate.” To learn more about Duke’s research on epigenetics, visit www.genome.duke.edu/DEEP/.  Source: nobeastsofierce / Fotolia.com The Federal Environment Agency has initiated a research project in the field of epigenetics. Epigenetics explains the influence of environmental factors on the properties of cells and gene expression. Extensive research in this field would do a great deal to protect public health, both now and in future generations. 07.11.2017 Why the Federal Environment Agency wants to know more about itOrigin of epigeneticsEpigenetics is a Greek term, which in literal translation means ‘in addition to genetics’. Epigenetics is a field in biology which focuses on inherited changes in the gene expression caused by mechanisms other than changes in the DNA sequence. It seeks to explain how environmental exposures can modify gene expression and influence cell properties. Extensive research in this field would contribute to the protection of public health, now and for the sake of future generations. Genetics focuses on the genetic material DNA and the inheritance of genetic characteristics. Epigenetics on the other hand provides additional information that determines gene expression. This additional information – the epigenetic marks - can be seen as a second code overlaid on top of the DNA sequence code. They consist e.g. of chemical molecules attached to either the DNA itself or to DNA-binding proteins. Epigenetic marks may, for example, silence certain DNA sequences. All epigenetic marks together are called the epigenetic pattern. As the DNA itself, epigenetic information can also be heritable to succeeding generations. Epigenetics refutes thus the notion that environmental influences cannot exert long-term changes on the genome. Known factorsMankind is exposed to a large number of environmental influences which have an impact on epigenetic mechanisms. Benzene or endocrine disruptors such as Bisphenol A, can alter the epigenetic pattern. These defective marks can have a negative impact on human health and, as a result, the risk of cancer and congenital birth defects may increase. Epigenetic changes may also multiply over time and, in concert, trigger diseases. UBA’s objectivesResearch on epigenetic mechanisms is still in its infancy. The importance accorded by the Federal Environment Agency to this relatively new field in biology is due to its concern with protecting public health. Both positive and negative environmental factors can exert a lasting effect on health, which is why it is critical to determine which factors cause epigenetic changes. In this regard Federal Environment Agency is encouraging extensive research in this complex area:
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Share: Is epigenetics affected by environment?Because epigenetics is a reversible system that can be affected by various environmental factors, such as drugs, nutrition, and mental stress, the epigenetic disorders also include common diseases induced by environmental factors.
What environmental factors affect gene expression?Environmental factors such as diet, temperature, oxygen levels, humidity, light cycles, and the presence of mutagens can all impact which of an animal's genes are expressed, which ultimately affects the animal's phenotype.
What does epigenetics mean literally?Epigenetics is the study of how cells control gene activity without changing the DNA sequence. "Epi-"means on or above in Greek,and "epigenetic" describes factors beyond the genetic code. Epigenetic changes are modifications to DNA that regulate whether genes are turned on or off.
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