It is basically an external modification to DNA that turns certain genes either off or on. The word epigenetics means above or on top of genes. They do not affect the DNA sequence but rather how they read. These factors can last up to the end of the lifetime of a cell. It may also be passed on to other generations but never affecting the DNA sequence. It may last from childhood to adult hood.
When DNA methylation is added to a methyl group or a chemical cap, it may cause some alteration to the genetic material. It alters the physical structure of the DNA but never the sequence. This can actually lead to the suppression of some genes. This means that those genes will not have the chance to be expressed. The structure will be the same, but the physical appearance will be different.
DNA wraps itself around a protein known as histone. This protein is what enables the comfortable accommodation of DNA inside a cell. Otherwise, the DNA will be too long to fit into one cell. If the histone is too tight on the DNA, the cell cannot recognize it. There are however modifications that relax histones so that the genetic material can be readable in cells.
One may wonder, how come all the different body cells contain the same DNA but the cells are completely different. This is because the genes in every part of the body like the skin, the brain and others the genes are expressed differently. This is why the cells in all the body parts are always going to appear different.
Epigenetics can be passed on to different generations, but this is not always the case. They may be in the egg cell, the sperm cell or in both. Once the egg and sperm fuse, they may undergo a process known as reprogramming. This is when all the previous genes are erased, and the fetus is formed. The fetus can then start from scratch forming its own epigenetics.
Some of the sperm and egg cells do not go through this reprogramming process. This means the fetus will reserve this epigenetic cells. Once the egg is fertilized, and reprogramming does not occur, the epigenetics are carried on to the next generation. This means the foods taken before conception play a big role in the future of your child. This is however not yet proved in human beings.
Scientists believe that epigenetics can play a role in some cancers. Some genes might lack the ability to control how big a cell grows. These are what turn out to be tumors. These are because the body has no control over how large the cell becomes and it grows so large and makes some of the body functions quite difficult to be undertaken.
There are cells whose job is to reconstruct damaged DNA. Some epigenetics may cause this to be impossible. This means that DNA will be damaged continually with no way of getting repaired. This is one of the ways of letting cancer out.
When DNA methylation is added to a methyl group or a chemical cap, it may cause some alteration to the genetic material. It alters the physical structure of the DNA but never the sequence. This can actually lead to the suppression of some genes. This means that those genes will not have the chance to be expressed. The structure will be the same, but the physical appearance will be different.
DNA wraps itself around a protein known as histone. This protein is what enables the comfortable accommodation of DNA inside a cell. Otherwise, the DNA will be too long to fit into one cell. If the histone is too tight on the DNA, the cell cannot recognize it. There are however modifications that relax histones so that the genetic material can be readable in cells.
One may wonder, how come all the different body cells contain the same DNA but the cells are completely different. This is because the genes in every part of the body like the skin, the brain and others the genes are expressed differently. This is why the cells in all the body parts are always going to appear different.
Epigenetics can be passed on to different generations, but this is not always the case. They may be in the egg cell, the sperm cell or in both. Once the egg and sperm fuse, they may undergo a process known as reprogramming. This is when all the previous genes are erased, and the fetus is formed. The fetus can then start from scratch forming its own epigenetics.
Some of the sperm and egg cells do not go through this reprogramming process. This means the fetus will reserve this epigenetic cells. Once the egg is fertilized, and reprogramming does not occur, the epigenetics are carried on to the next generation. This means the foods taken before conception play a big role in the future of your child. This is however not yet proved in human beings.
Scientists believe that epigenetics can play a role in some cancers. Some genes might lack the ability to control how big a cell grows. These are what turn out to be tumors. These are because the body has no control over how large the cell becomes and it grows so large and makes some of the body functions quite difficult to be undertaken.
There are cells whose job is to reconstruct damaged DNA. Some epigenetics may cause this to be impossible. This means that DNA will be damaged continually with no way of getting repaired. This is one of the ways of letting cancer out.
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