Epigenetics

These flashcards cover the key concepts of epigenetics discussed in the lecture, focusing on histone modifications, DNA methylation, and their implications for gene expression.

What are the two main modifications in epigenetics discussed in the lecture?

Histone modifications and DNA methylation.

What does histone methylation typically lead to?

Histone methylation usually leads to gene silencing.

What does histone acetylation lead to in gene expression?

Histone acetylation usually leads to the activation of gene expression.

What are the primary amino acids involved in histone modifications?

Lysine, arginine, serine, threonine, and tyrosine.

What is the role of histone methyltransferase?

To add methyl groups to lysine residues in histones, usually leading to gene silencing.

What is the difference between monomethylation, dimethylation, and trimethylation?

Monomethylation has one methyl group, dimethylation has two, and trimethylation has three methyl groups added to a lysine residue.

How does DNA methylation affect gene expression?

DNA methylation usually leads to gene silencing, particularly in promoter regions.

What are CpG islands, and how are they related to gene regulation?

CpG islands are regions of DNA with high frequency of C-G dinucleotides, which can be methylated to regulate gene expression.

How do histone modifications and DNA methylation interact?

They work together to regulate gene expression, where histone modifications can recruit enzymes that modify DNA.

What technique is used to study histone and DNA modifications?

Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) followed by sequencing (ChIP-seq) or quantitative PCR (ChIP-qPCR).