BIOLOGY 1A03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Epigenome, Epigenomics, Epigenetics

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Biology
• Course: BIOLOGY 1A03
• Professor: Rosa Da Silva

Document Summary

Applied lecture for module 3 and 4; 17 oct 2014. Epigenome can be altered: epigenetics: above the genome , chemical dna modifications that occur alone the genome that change the gene activity without altering the dna sequence. Epigenetic processes are essential for normal development, cell differentiation and are increasingly being recognizes as being involved in human diseases. Epigenetics mechanisms: chromatin remodeling, packaging the dna around the nucleosomes, modifications of histone tails and dna methylation. Epigenomics: the studying the epigenetics modification across an individuals entire genome, and a population. Methylation can be inherited or influenced by the environment. Diet can affect degree of methylation: the things that attach to dna (ex: folic acid) found in food, is what provides the methyl that is to attach to dna. Methylation of specific genes can be a good thing and a bad thing- depends on what gene is turned on/off.