Epigenetics What are epigenetics Epigenetics is the external

Epigenetics

What are epigenetics? • Epigenetics is the external modification of DNA on top of DNA. Epigenomes are the second layer on top on the DNA changing the genetic sequence. • Based on a variety of factors, such as What you eat, where you live, who you interact with, when you sleep, how you exercise, even aging. • Epigenetics is a study of heritable phenotype changes of the external side of DNA. • The epigenome shapes the physical structure of the genome. It tightly wraps around inactive genes, making them unreadable. The epigenome relaxes the gene making them easily accessible. • The DNA code is fixed for life, but the epigenome is flexible. The epigenome adjusts specific genes in our genetic sequences in response to the factors of out everyday life.

• Epigenetic mechanisms such as histone modification (which is the changing the structure of chromatin in DNA) and DNA methylation stabilize gene expression which helps store information. • The greatest advancement (the human brain) Epigenetic changes play a role in the brain by being apart of brain diseases such as mental illness and addiction as well as Alzheimer’s. • Since we can start to understand the role of epigenetics in the brain, we can further influence these brain diseases by researching and discovering treatments. • In patients who committed suicide, there was less protein synthesis, and this is regulated by methylation (mechanisms exist to control gene expression in DNA). • The state of methylation in r. NA genes is based on different locations depending on the patient. In the hippocampus the ribosomal r. NA is found and not at all in the cerebellum. Through this research we discovered the possibility of histone modification in the brain causing brain diseases, since we discovered this we can help prevent or maybe improve this disease and possibly cure it in the future.

Exposure therapy How are epigenetics best used • -help to find treatments and prevention for many diseases and discover healthier lifestyle • -can possibly treat cancer if we can change methyl levels of genes and cells • -can treat mental problems such as fear and anxiety • -prevent some epigenetic disease such as Fetal How Alcohol Syndrome alcohol can • -epigenetics can also guide us to a healthier life affect the baby

Changing the world with epigenetics • Before a baby becomes a baby there a lot of signals that are received over the 9 months that makes it have a distinct identity. • So, for example things that a mother does affects the DNA of the offspring. If a mother smokes while she is pregnant it will affect her daughter and then her un born granddaughter and going on. Epigenomes change in response to signals.

• “The evidence is very extensive at this point for epigenetics to be involved in virtually all human cancers, ” Adam Karpf • Epigenetic patterns are manipulated based on the environment which are hard to study. • Anything you eat can alter the epigenome of the cell which lead to cancer. Cancer and Epigenetics

The future with epigenetics • Gene control researchers created a cell that you can turn on or off. • This will help reduce cancer cells from growing because they will use Ado. Met to reduce the speed of reproducing cells. • The GR gene is a type of gene that you can either have a lot or none based on how you were neutered as a baby. • If you were brought up well neutered then your GR gene count is high and you will have a better time responding to stress

Maternal trauma can cause asthma in children because of epigenetics.

References and Sources • Nutrition & the Epigenome, learn. genetics. utah. edu/content/epigenetics/. • Akpan, Nsikan. “Don't Blame Grandma Yet, but Your Asthma May Be Her Fault. ” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 9 Dec. 2015, www. pbs. org/newshour/science/history-of-epigeneticsasthma. • “Difference Between Genetics and Epigenetics | Definition, Fields, Role and Difference. ” Pediaa. Com, 19 Feb. 2018, pediaa. com/difference-between-genetics-andepigenetics/. • Epigenetics & the Human Brain, learn. genetics. utah. edu/content/epigenetics/brain/. • The Epigenome at a Glance, learn. genetics. utah. edu/content/epigenetics/intro/. • Epigenetics & Inheritance, learn. genetics. utah. edu/content/epigenetics/inheritance/. • Gene Control, learn. genetics. utah. edu/content/epigenetics/control/. • High Fat Diet in Fruit Flies Links Epigenetics to Inherited Heart Disease, whatisepigenetics. com/high-fat-diet-in-fruit-flies-links-epigenetics-to-inherited-heart-disease/ • Nutrition & the Epigenome, learn. genetics. utah. edu/content/epigenetics/nutrition/ • What Is Exposure Therapy, apa. org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/exposure-therapy • Epigenetic Influences and Disease, nature. com/scitable/topicpage/epigenetic-influences-anddisease-895 • Epigenetics: Fundamentals, whatisepigenetics. com/fundamentals/#fn-12 -10