Discuss epigenetic changes that control gene expression. Then research and prese

Question

Discuss epigenetic changes that control gene expression. Then research and present one article that demonstrates how epigenetic changes can be influenced by either maternal behavior, nutrition or the environment. Include information about how the DNA is modified and potential long-term implications for the individual.

Discuss how these changes or modifications to gene expression can result in different characteristics? Then explain how these changes or modifications are different from a mutation that changes the sequence of DNA.

Explanation / Answer

An epigenetic trait is characterized by the stable inheritance of phenotype by the offspring resulting from chromosomal changes but not due to alterations in DNA sequence. Means, the gene expression levels are altered, but the DNA sequence remains same and these changes are inherited by the offspring. The genomic expressions modified by epigenetics are highly reversible. For example, the demethylation of the gene, modification of the transcriptional state of histones and changing the expression of mi-RNA coding loci. The three kinds of epigenetic mechanisms are,

Nutrition received during the early stages of development (in utero) affect the epigenetic changes. People who suffered nutritional deprivation during the early life are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and metabolic disorders such as diabetes.

These concepts linking the early life’s nutrition to the development of diseases in the later life is known as “developmental basis of health and disease.” So, the interventions for the prevention of diseases must be included decades before of its onset, i.e. in utero and neonatal periods.  

For example, Royal jelly is a protein rich substance secreted by the worker bees (sterile), it serves as the food the larva destined to be the queen bee, and the queen bee fed only on the royal jelly throughout its life. Because of the royal jelly, the queen bee develops certain particular “queen characteristics” such as killing the rival queen bees, mating flights, making communication sounds, and it also contains ovaries and a larger abdomen for laying eggs.

The royal jelly silence a gene called, “Dnmt3,” which produces an enzyme that causes silencing of a group of queen genes. Means, if this gene is turned “on,” the queen genes undergo epigenetic silencing, and the default setting makes it develop into a worker gene. If the same gene is turned “off,” the queen genes will be activated and it turns into a queen bee.

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