Epigenetics

Question 1

Define epigenetics.

Answer 1

The study of how gene activity can be controlled without changing the DNA sequence

Question 2

What is a DNA methylation?

Answer 2

Adding a chemical group to tag DNA

Question 3

What is a histone modification?

Answer 3

The binding of epigenetic factors to histone tags that alter DNA

Question 4

What is epigenetics?

Answer 4

Epigenetics regulates genes without changing the DNA, and has the ability to turn a gene on or off. These changes can be reversible, passed down to the next generation and they change how the DNA sequence is read, not the DNA itself.

Question 5

What do the differences in regulations of genes do?

Answer 5

Can lead to changes in the health of individuals

Question 6

What are the epigenetic factors?

Answer 6

The factors are the chemical tags added to DNA, the alteration of histones, and the alteration of regulatory RNAs

Question 7

Explain the process of DNA methylation

Answer 7

DNA methylation works by adding a chemical group to tag the DNA. In DNA, you can tag cytosine with a methyl group, which then changes the behaviour of the DNA. If there is enough tagged cytosines in a DNA strand, you can turn the gene on or off.

Question 8

Explain the process of histone modification.

Answer 8

Histones are proteins around, which DNA can wind for compaction and gene regulation. The binding of epigenetic factors to histone tags alter the extent to which DNA is wrapped around histones, and the availability of genes in DNA to be activated. Therefore, the epigenetic tagging of the histones can change the way in which the genes are exposed to the nucleus for transcription.

Question 9

Explain the environmental and behaviour factors that can trigger epigenetic changes

Answer 9

Toxic chemicals, diet, psychological state, therapeutic drugs, disease, infection and exercise