The genome is the blueprint to every living thing’s body. Made up of sugars, phosphates, and nitrogen bases, the genome is what makes everyone unique. It states, in its chemicals, whether a person will have blue eyes and brown hair, or brown eyes and red hair. This already complex system, half of the organism’s mother’s genes, and half of its father’s genes – or in some cases all of its mother’s gene, like a clone – is even more complex than previously thought before. There is this new, and interesting concept that alters gene expression as they live. This new concept, called epigenetics, is what makes even identical twins, genetically different. Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene expression, without changing the DNA of the organism.
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How does epigenetics change our gene expression? There are two main parts of gene expression to answer that question. The first part is methyl groups, which consist of hydrocarbon molecules. These methyl groups will bind to areas on the gene to determine whether or not it should be expressed. The methyl groups are like an on-or-off switch. Histones are the second part, and they are proteins that your DNA winds around in order to pack closely in small spaces. The histones are able to change how tightly the DNA is coiled around them, allowing more or less genes to be expressed. An organism’s lifestyle choices and environmental factors are able to change how these two parts of gene expression work. For example, smoking may result in a misplaced methyl group, causing changes in gene expression. This change could lead to the cell becoming out of control, leading to diseases like cancer. (Green, …show more content…
Epigenetics is like the boss to the genetics, who are the workers. It tells the genetics how, and when they should work with the help of chemicals. Epigenetics is the reason people make the decisions that they do, and dictates how they live. They don’t stop at individuals however, as epigenetics can be passed down to offspring, and even the offspring’s offspring, affecting whole new generations. How can a concept, like epigenetics, not make someone wonder if they are making the right choices at this moment, as it’s an even bigger part of who an organism is than ever thought
How does epigenetics change our gene expression? There are two main parts of gene expression to answer that question. The first part is methyl groups, which consist of hydrocarbon molecules. These methyl groups will bind to areas on the gene to determine whether or not it should be expressed. The methyl groups are like an on-or-off switch. Histones are the second part, and they are proteins that your DNA winds around in order to pack closely in small spaces. The histones are able to change how tightly the DNA is coiled around them, allowing more or less genes to be expressed. An organism’s lifestyle choices and environmental factors are able to change how these two parts of gene expression work. For example, smoking may result in a misplaced methyl group, causing changes in gene expression. This change could lead to the cell becoming out of control, leading to diseases like cancer. (Green, …show more content…
Epigenetics is like the boss to the genetics, who are the workers. It tells the genetics how, and when they should work with the help of chemicals. Epigenetics is the reason people make the decisions that they do, and dictates how they live. They don’t stop at individuals however, as epigenetics can be passed down to offspring, and even the offspring’s offspring, affecting whole new generations. How can a concept, like epigenetics, not make someone wonder if they are making the right choices at this moment, as it’s an even bigger part of who an organism is than ever thought