Epigenetics

Question 1

What is epigenetics?

Answer 1

• The inherited changes in gene expression from cell to cell or generation to generation.
• Not a change in DNA sequence.

Question 2

What makes epigenetics unique?

Answer 2

1. Changes occur at much higher frequency than mutations in DNA sequence
2. Susceptibility to epigenetic change sensitive to dose of environmental agent and developmental age.
3. They are reversible.
4. Often species specific.

Question 3

Maternal Nutrition

Answer 3

• Dutch hunger
• kids born this time smaller than average
• Thrifty phenotype
• lower birthrate mre at risk for diabetes/stroke/obesity/hyperthyroidissm

Question 4

Maternal Chemical Exposure

Answer 4

• Diethylstilbestrol given to women between 1940s and 1970s to avoid spontaneous abortion
• Increased reproductive disorders, cancers in daughters and granddaughters

Question 5

Smoking

Answer 5

• Dads who started smoking before age 11 have heavier sons, compared to those who never smoked
• Grandkids of mothers who smoked during the fetal period had an increased risk of developing asthma in first 5 years of life

Question 6

Physical Exercise and breast cancer

Answer 6

• Breast cancer patients asked to participate in moderate-intensity workout for 6 months
• 3 hypomethylated genes correlate with cancer survival

Question 7

Physical exercise and againg

Answer 7

• DNA methylation lost over time as you age
• More DNA methylation overall if you exercise
• Telomeres go away with age
• Exercise increases expression of protective protective ncRNAs-protect telomeres

Question 8

Nurturing Behavior

Answer 8

• maternal nurturing behavior in 1st week of life
• offspring exhibit reduced fearfulness and better response to stress
• HPA axis component, GR receptor methylation status changed

Question 9

Intimate partner violence

Answer 9

• IPV during pregnancy affects gene expression

- HPA axis component, GR methylations status changed

Question 10

Fear

Answer 10

• Gave parent mice odor fear conditioning before conception

- F1 and F2 mice were still conditioned to fear this specific odor

Question 11

Anti-predatory

Answer 11

• Gravid crickets exposed to wolf spiders
• Offspring exhibit longer immobility in presence of wolf spiders specifically
• Greater survival