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Related Concept Videos

Epigenetic Regulation01:46

Epigenetic Regulation

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Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
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Epigenetic Regulation01:37

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Epigenetic changes alter the physical structure of the DNA without changing the genetic sequence and often regulate whether genes are turned on or off. This regulation ensures that each cell produces only proteins necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
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Inheritance of Chromatin Structures03:17

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Epigenetics is the study of inherited changes in a cell's phenotype without changing the DNA sequences. It provides a form of memory for the differential gene expression pattern to maintain cell lineage, position-effect variegation, dosage compensation, and maintenance of chromatin structures such as telomeres and centromeres. For example, the structure and location of the centromere on chromosomes are epigenetically inherited. Its functionality is not dictated or ensured by the underlying...
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Gene-Environment Interactions01:20

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Gene expression is a dynamic process that is significantly influenced by environmental factors. This interaction underlies the complex nature of biological development and the phenotypic differences observed among individuals, even among those with identical genetic makeups. Factors such as radiation, temperature, behavior, nutrition, and stress play pivotal roles in determining how genes are expressed. The concept of the reaction range is central to understanding this interaction. It posits...
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Epistasis01:39

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In addition to multiple alleles at the same locus influencing traits, numerous genes or alleles at different locations may interact and influence phenotypes in a phenomenon called epistasis. For example, rabbit fur can be black or brown depending on whether the animal is homozygous dominant or heterozygous at a TYRP1 locus. However, if the rabbit is also homozygous recessive at a locus on the tyrosinase gene (TYR), it will have an unshaded coat that appears white, regardless of its TYRP1...
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Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

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The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
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Updated: Nov 8, 2025

Stable Isotope In-Vivo Labeling for Mass-Spectrometry Identification of Paternal Metabolites Transferred from Sperm to Oocyte During Fertilization
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How does epigenetics influence the course of evolution?

Alyson Ashe1, Vincent Colot2, Benjamin P Oldroyd3

  • 1School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
|April 19, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Epigenetics, changes in gene activity without DNA alteration, influences evolution. Heritable epigenetic states and enhanced plasticity demonstrate epigenetics

Keywords:
genetic assimilationgenome evolutionkin theory of genomic imprintingphenotypic plasticitytransgenerational epigenetic inheritance

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Epigenetics involves heritable changes in gene expression not caused by DNA sequence alterations.
  • Traditionally viewed as a minor evolutionary factor due to epigenetic resetting each generation.
  • Epigenetic mechanisms are crucial for gene regulation, development, and genome stability.

Discussion:

  • Growing evidence shows epigenetic variation directly and indirectly contributes to evolutionary processes.
  • Heritable epigenetic states (epialleles) can be subject to natural selection, particularly in plants.
  • Epigenetic variation enhances phenotypic plasticity, influencing how organisms adapt to environments.

Key Insights:

  • Intergenerational epigenetic transmission and common epialleles in plants suggest evolutionary relevance.
  • Epigenetic mechanisms drive phenotypic plasticity, modulating natural selection's impact on genetic variation.
  • Genomic imprinting, a parent-of-origin-specific gene expression, can contribute to speciation.

Outlook:

  • Epigenetic factors, including DNA methylation, directly impact DNA sequence evolution and genome stability.
  • Understanding epigenetics is vital for a comprehensive theory of evolution and adaptation.
  • Further research into epigenetic inheritance and plasticity will illuminate evolutionary trajectories.