DNA methylation

of heredity, and make up DNA, acting as instructions for the production of proteins in the organism of every living thing. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is condensed and packaged around histones, which order it into units known as nucleosomes. The epigenome is made up of chemical compounds and proteins that can attach to DNA and switch certain genes on or off, controlling the functions and roles of different cells. Epigenetics, which involves genetic control by factors outside of the DNA sequence, can switch genes on or off and determine how proteins are copied and the roles they have in certain cells. Though DNA can be compared to the harddrive on a computer, epigenomes are more flexible and can determine how genes function,…

changes in gene expression rather than the gene itself. Overall, this study has the potential to provide tangible evidence in favor of stressor-initiated and heritable phenotypic changes in living organisms. There are numerous different mechanisms of epigenetic modification. One is DNA Methylation, whereby methyl groups are added to molecules of DNA, typically resulting in repression of transcription in that area of DNA.8 Cytosine and Adenine are the two nucleotides capable of being methylated…

becoming an Intel STS semifinalist, I was surprised when my PI explained that my results could have clinical implications - MacroH2A levels could potentially serve as a prognostic marker to differentiate between metastatic and nonmetastatic cancers. In college, I continued research in epigenetics with Dr. Ben Tycko. In Down syndrome (DS) patients, in addition to the extra copy of chromosome 21, there are global changes in methylation that could affect phenotype. I compared the neuron and…

Epigenetics is the study of how changes and environmental factors experienced by an organism can affect the way genes are expressed without altering the genetic code. Epigenetics has also been linked to ageing. The reason why epigenetics affects ageing is because the DNA methylation acts as a clamp on the chromosomes, so when it comes time for the cell to replicate and unwind its chromatin from around the histones to copy the DNA, the methylation groups don’t allow that segment of DNA from being…

Epigenetic changes are those heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve any changes in a gene sequence (Holliday 2006). To put it simply, the DNA sequences coding the gene are not altered. Instead, the environment around the DNA is altered. The epigenome is the total sum of the epigenetic marks present throughout the genome of a cell (Eichten, Schmitz & Springer 2014). Epigenetic modifications are directed by many different mechanisms in plants that are influenced by various…

Introduction DNA makes up the genetic material for all organisms. However, not all organisms have distinct molecules working with DNA that come together to make up chromatin. Chromatin is only found in eukaryotic cells, the cellular makeup of multicellular organisms. The structure of chromatin is composed of DNA and histones, together making up nucleosomes, and other non-histone proteins that bind to the DNA. The backbone of DNA is negatively charged and histones have a positive charge…

The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) within organisms can be methylated while proteins can be either methylated or acetylated. The methylation of DNA and RNA is used for alternative splicing used for production of different mRNA molecules resulting in numerous new proteins. One of the molecules believed to perform the methylation is N6A or N6 methyladenosine. Methylation is the most observed modification to mRNA molecules. Methylation of both DNA and RNA ensures…

including such as de/acetylation and methylation of histones, hyper methylation of CpG islands and phosphorylation etc. Epigenetics can be both spontaneous and hereditary, with some forms of epigenetics, such as histone acetylation, being passed on through gametes. Some forms of epigenetics have large consequences, leading to some serious conditions e.g. Prader-Willi syndrome, whilst some can have longer term ramifications for future generations e.g. Dutch hunger winter future generations. This…

structural, catalytic, regulatory activities, translation of genes to proteins Variegated RNAs to interact with other cellular machinery (DNA, Proteins, etc.) in specific ways Alteration of RNA structure which in turn, leads to alteration of protein bindings and cellular effects Affect gene expression by activating or silencing it Controls transition from pluripotency state to differentiation, which allows different types of cells to be made and specialized Cell regulation of the circadian…

embryonic development in mammals. This particular link was first seen in a study in which researchers attempted to breed mice with reduced methylation levels, caused by a recessive allele. Mice embryos with a homozygous recessive genotype were not able to thrive and develop, showing that the methylation process is needed in order for mammalian reproduction to be successful. The exact mechanism and cause for this relationship is not precisely known; research is still being conducted as to if the…