Chapter 6: Nutritional Genomics Flashcards
precision (personalized) health
Therapy is tailored to each individual so that nutrition professionals can help clients optimize their health and describe the promise that nutritional genomics brings to the field of nutrition and dietetics
genetics
The science of heredity
genomics
Focuses on the full set of an organism’s genes and how genes interact with each other and with the environment
genome
The full set of an organism’s genes
gene
Basic unit of heredity
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid. The genetic code of humans
nucleotide
A compound consisting of a nucleoside linked to a phosphate group. Nucleotides form the basic structural unit of nucleic acids such as DNA
genotype
The unique nucleotide sequence of DNA of an individual
intervening sequences
Long stretches of nucleotides found between genes along the chromosome. Compose the majority of DNA in humans
chromosomes
Formed by wrapping DNA tightly around specific proteins called histones. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes
histones
Any of a group of basic proteins found in chromatin.
autosomes
One of the 22 numbered pairs of chromosomes that most of us carry in almost all of the cells of our body.
sex chromosome
A chromosome involved with determining the sex of an organism, typically one of two kinds
transcription
The decoding process
coding region
AKA structural region. Contains the encoded information for synthesizing that gene’s protein.
exons
Correspond to the order of the amino acids in the gene’s protein product
introns
Sequences that are interspersed between exons and do not code for amino acids needed for synthesizing proteins
regulatory region
Controls the ability of the polymerase to attach to the promoter, thereby influencing whether transcription occurs
response elements
DNA sequences that serve as binding sites for regulatory proteins such as transcription factors and their bound ligands
transcription factors
Proteins involved in the process of converting, or transcribing, DNA into RNA.
ligand
A molecule that binds to another (usually larger) molecule
messenger RNA (mRNA)
Introns have been removed and the nucleotide sequence of the mRNA is ready to be translated into the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein
translation
Protein synthesis process
codon
Set of 3 nucleotides which specifies a particular amino acid and its position within the protein
transcriptomics
The study of the transcripts produced: the types of transcripts genome-wide and the amount produced
proteomics
Focuses in part on identifying the protein encoded by each gene, the protein’s function, and the effect of a mutation in a gene on the structure and function of the encoded protein
metabolomics
The study of the substrates and products of metabolism
microbiomics
Concerns the microbial ecology of body cavities, such as the digestive tract and the oral cavity, another important body cavity in nutrition practice
pharmacogenomics
Using genomics to analyze the genetic variations in the genes that encode the drug-metabolizing enzymes and using this information to predict a patient’s response to a drug
post-translational modifications
Most proteins need further processing after translation
signal transduction
The process by which a cell responds to substances outside the cell through signaling molecules found on the surface of and inside the cell
bioactive food components
Nonessential biomolecules that are present in foods and exhibit the capacity to modulate one or more metabolic processes
epigenetics
The study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself.
epigenomics
The study of all of the epigenetic changes in a cell
epigenetic marks
The characteristics of a cell that determine the gene expression pattern
genetic code
The nucleotide triplets of DNA and RNA molecules that carry genetic information in living cells.
mendelian genetics
The inheritance of traits is governed by a predictable set of rules
phenotype
An observable/measurable expression of the genotype
homozygous
When the alleles are the same
heterozygous
AKA carrier. When the alleles are different
dominant
If a trait is expressed when only a single copy of a variant allele is present
recessive
If the trait is not expressed when only a single copy of a variant allele is present
penetrance
Not everyone who has the gene expresses it in a form that is readily measurable
mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
Codes for 14 proteins essential to oxidative phosphorylation and energy production and 2 ribosomal RNAs and 22 transfer RNAs needed for mitochondrial protein synthesis
mitochondrial or maternal inheritance
A non-mendelian inheritance pattern passed from mother to child as mitochondrial genes are passed from mother to child
epigenetic inheritance
The transmission of epigenetic markers from one organism to the next
germline
Egg and sperm
somatic
Body cells
epigenome
The genetic markers an individual carries
single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)
Appear to be strongly associated with a particular chronic disorder are typically not sufficient to lead to chronic disease
genomic imprinting
Epigenetic marks, typically methyl groups, are added in order to silence particular genes in the egg and other genes in the sperm
mutations
Changes to the DNA. AKA genetic variations or variants
polymorphism
Multiple different versions of an allele for a specific gene
candidate gene approach
Focuses on functional variants and positional variants. Used in candidate gene studies and genome-wide association studies (GWAS)
genome-wide association studies (GWAS)
Allows the detection of patterns of multiple SNPs associated with a disease and is particularly useful for complex disorders
karyotype
A visualization of all the chromosomes in picture form
nutritional genomics
A field of study focused on the interaction between genes, diet, lifestyle factors, and human health
nutrigenomics
The study of how food affects a person’s genes and how a person’s genes affect the way the body responds to food
nutrigenetics
A branch of nutritional genomics which aims to identify genetic susceptibility to diseases and genetic variation in the effects of nutrient intake on the genome.
rs number
Reference SNP cluster ID. Each variant is assigned an rs number
ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI)
Fosters basic and applied research on the ethical, legal and social implications of genetic and genomic research for individuals, families and communities.
Genetic information nondiscrimination act (GINA)
Passed in 2008. Ensures that genetic information will not be used to discriminate against Americans with respect to employment or health insurance
polygenic
Multigene
obesogen
Environmental pollutants that promote obesity
microbiome
The genomes of the various microbes but is often used synonymously with the organisms themselves
