Lecture Notes: Epigenetics and Its Impact

Introduction

• Hypothetical scenario with clones or twins.
• Different life experiences lead to different physical and health outcomes.

Key Concepts in Genetics

• Genetic Identicals: Clones or identical twins share the same DNA.
• Epigenetics: The study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression.

Understanding Epigenetics

• Epigenome: Does not change DNA sequence but affects gene expression.
• Controls how genes are expressed in different cells.

Mechanisms of Epigenetics

• Methyl Groups: Carbon and hydrogen compounds that bind to genes and control their expression. Different cells have different methylation patterns.
  • Example: Skin cell vs. eyeball cell.
• Histones: Proteins around which DNA winds; can affect gene expression based on how tightly DNA is wound.
  • Methyl groups act like a switch; histones act like a knob.

Epigenetics in Life Stages

• Changes in the epigenome can happen throughout life and can be hereditary.
• Significant changes during puberty and pregnancy.

Environmental Influences

• Factors like diet, smoking, and stress can affect the epigenome.
• Poor diet can lead to disease due to incorrect methylation and gene expression.

Historical Context

• 1980s studies on epigenetics sparked by research into 19th-century Swedish populations.
• Findings: People who experienced food abundance followed by scarcity had lasting health effects across generations.

Implications of Epigenetics

• Medical:
  • Development of drugs to correct epigenetic errors (e.g., cancer treatment).
• Social:
  • Challenges the notion that genes alone determine intelligence or success.
  • Environment and social factors also play a crucial role.

Conclusion

• Decisions made today can impact future generations epigenetically.
• Understanding epigenetics offers hope for addressing and correcting genetic health issues.