Uncovering the Mysteries of Epigenetics - with Nessa Carey

🧬 Epigenetics is a new field of biology that explores the additional factors at play beyond genetics.

👥 Epigenetic phenomena involve genetically identical organisms exhibiting different traits.

💡 Epigenetics reveals that factors such as environment and temperature can influence gene expression.

🧬 Epigenetics is the study of how a single DNA genome can lead to different outcomes.

🎥 DNA is like a script that can be amended, resulting in various cell types and traits.

🔬 Recent advances in epigenetics have provided explanations for how DNA functions in cells.

🧬 Epigenetics is the study of how genes are regulated and expressed.

🍓 DNA wraps around cluster proteins, and one gene can be wrapped around multiple clusters.

🍸 Epigenetic modifications can turn genes on or off, leading to changes in gene expression.

💡 Epigenetic modifications play a crucial role in human health and disease, including certain types of cancer.

🔬 Misregulation of gene expression due to epigenetic modifications may contribute to chronic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and type 2 diabetes.

📚 Childhood experiences, such as neglect and abuse, can have long-lasting effects on mental health and increase the risk of addiction and depression in adulthood.

🧬 Epigenetic modifications early in childhood can determine whether a rat becomes stressed or happy in adulthood.

🦎 Various animals, including stick insects, salamanders, and zebra finches, can reproduce through virgin birth.

🧪 Epigenetic information on eggs and sperm is necessary for the development of mammals, which is why virgin birth is not possible in mammals.

🐭 Epigenetics can explain the differences in appearance and traits of genetically identical mice, such as the agouti viable yellow mice.

🍷 Alcohol can alter the transmission of epigenetic information between generations in mice.

🐭 Epigenetic information is passed on from parent to child, influenced by the environment.

🌸 Mice can pass on environmental responses to their offspring using epigenetics.

🦒 The concept of Lamarckism is challenged by the findings of epigenetic inheritance.

👨‍👧‍👧 Offspring size is not influenced by epigenetic transmission from the father, but the mother's perception of the father's genetic quality affects the offspring's growth.

👯‍♀️ Identical twins start diverging epigenetically as they age, leading to differences in gene expression and phenotypic variation.

🌱 Epigenetic modifications control various biological processes in plants, including flowering and coloration.

🐑 Epigenetics plays a role in animal cloning and the development of phenotypic differences between worker honeybees and queen honeybees.

📚 Epigenetics is a fascinating field with much more to discover, and the speaker has written books on the topic.