What disease does Dr Pembry study?

NARRATOR: Pembrey suspected the incidence of one disease, diabetes, might show that the environment and epigenetics were involved.

Why would it be useful to test for the expressions of genes like the ABC B2 gene on a microarray?

Why would it be useful to test for the expression of genes like the ABC-B2 gene on a microarray? If the gene is strongly expressed, it would mean that a particular treatment might not work, or might even be harmful to the person taking that drug.

How does normal gene expression differ from epigenetic effects on the genome?

Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic changes are reversible and do not change your DNA sequence, but they can change how your body reads a DNA sequence. Gene expression refers to how often or when proteins are created from the instructions within your genes.

What are some social and ethical implications regarding epigenetic effects?

Epigenetic effects have been associated with exposure to various toxic chemicals, airborne pollutants, pesticides and other harmful substances1,2. Many of these exposures are linked with poverty, discriminatory land use, and substandard living and working conditions5.

Do you inherit anything other than jeans from your parents?

“Our study indicates that we inherit more than just genes from our parents. It seems to be that we also get a fine-tuned as well as important gene regulation machinery that can be influenced by our environment and individual lifestyle.

At what age is a grandfather sensitive to epigenetic change?

The sensitive period for the famine to occur in the grandfather was around age 10; at the time of sperm formation was occurring. If famine existed for the grandfather when he was around 10, then the grandsons lived longer.

What would probably not increase the accessibility of the DNA for gene transcription?

What would probably NOT increase the accessibility of the DNA for gene transcription? Cancer results from cells that divide when they should not. A hallmark of cancer is high levels of DNA methylation in cell genomes.

Can you change your DNA with your mind?

Not only can our brains change, we can also change the genes we inherited or the personal characteristics we’ve created in those genes and consequently lessen, or eliminate totally, our beliefs about genetic predisposition.

Why is epigenetics so controversial?

Controversial Conclusions Epigenetics has generated buzz recently because it seems to offer a way for our life experiences to modify our genetic inheritance, and therefore alter our genetic “fate.” What we experience in the womb or early life may affect our risk of disease many years later, for instance.