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05:55
Stable Isotope In-Vivo Labeling for Mass-Spectrometry Identification of Paternal Metabolites Transferred from Sperm to Oocyte During Fertilization
Published on: June 17, 2025
Transgenerational inheritance of non-genetically determined phenotypes.
Michelle L Holland1, Vardhman K Rakyan
1The Blizard Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, 4 Newark Street, London E1 2AT, UK. m.holland@qmul.ac.uk
Biochemical Society Transactions
|May 24, 2013
Summary
Ancestral environmental exposures can influence offspring development through non-genetic inheritance. This study explores the molecular mechanisms of paternal transmission, focusing on germline changes and their embryonic effects.
Area of Science:
- Epigenetics and developmental biology, focusing on transgenerational inheritance.
Background:
- Non-genetic factors allow ancestral environments to shape offspring development, a phenomenon known as soft inheritance.
- While observed in mammals, the molecular basis for this transgenerational epigenetic inheritance remains largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying gametic inheritance of non-genetic factors.
- To explore paternal transmission of environmental influences across generations.
Main Methods:
- Focus on gametic inheritance, specifically paternal transmission.
- Analysis of three key processes: germline alteration by environment, nature of the inherited mark, and its effect on embryonic genome function.
Main Results:
- Identified three critical processes in non-genetic inheritance: environmental impact on germline, molecular nature of epigenetic marks, and their role in embryonic development.
- Provides a framework for understanding how parental environment shapes offspring phenotypes without altering DNA sequence.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the molecular underpinnings of non-genetic inheritance is crucial for comprehending developmental plasticity.
- Further research into germline modifications and their embryonic consequences will illuminate the mechanisms of soft inheritance.
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