Epigenetics

Genome

The whole set of genetic instructions within an organism, stored in DNA (or RNA), containing all the information for development, function, and reproduction.

Gene expression

The process of copying information from DNA onto messenger RNA and translating it into a series of amino acids to form a protein.

Histones

Special proteins around which DNA is coiled to form chromatin, playing a key role in the structural organization of DNA.

Epigenetics

The study of how cells control gene activity without changing the DNA sequence, often through mechanisms that affect gene expression.

Acetylation

A histone modification involving the addition of an acetyl group, which reduces the attraction between histones and DNA, promoting gene expression.

DNA methylation

A process that usually occurs at CpG sites in DNA, which restricts access to RNA polymerase and slows down gene expression.

Trans-generational effects

Epigenetic influences that are passed down from one generation to the next, often caused by environmental factors and lifestyle choices.

Dutch famine (1944–1945)

A study demonstrating that babies in the womb during famine exhibited different DNA methylation patterns, affecting their risk of health issues later in life.

Trauma effects in descendants

Research showing that trauma experienced by Holocaust survivors and Vietnam veterans affected DNA methylation in stress response genes, with some changes seen in their children.