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Flashcards in Epigenetics Deck (11)
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1
Q

What is epigenetics?

A
  • The inherited changes in gene expression from cell to cell or generation to generation.
  • Not a change in DNA sequence.
2
Q

What makes epigenetics unique?

A
  1. Changes occur at much higher frequency than mutations in DNA sequence
  2. Susceptibility to epigenetic change sensitive to dose of environmental agent and developmental age.
  3. They are reversible.
  4. Often species specific.
3
Q

Maternal Nutrition

A
  • Dutch hunger
  • kids born this time smaller than average
  • Thrifty phenotype
  • lower birthrate mre at risk for diabetes/stroke/obesity/hyperthyroidissm
4
Q

Maternal Chemical Exposure

A
  • Diethylstilbestrol given to women between 1940s and 1970s to avoid spontaneous abortion
  • Increased reproductive disorders, cancers in daughters and granddaughters
5
Q

Smoking

A
  • Dads who started smoking before age 11 have heavier sons, compared to those who never smoked
  • Grandkids of mothers who smoked during the fetal period had an increased risk of developing asthma in first 5 years of life
6
Q

Physical Exercise and breast cancer

A
  • Breast cancer patients asked to participate in moderate-intensity workout for 6 months
  • 3 hypomethylated genes correlate with cancer survival
7
Q

Physical exercise and againg

A
  • DNA methylation lost over time as you age
  • More DNA methylation overall if you exercise
  • Telomeres go away with age
  • Exercise increases expression of protective protective ncRNAs-protect telomeres
8
Q

Nurturing Behavior

A
  • maternal nurturing behavior in 1st week of life
  • offspring exhibit reduced fearfulness and better response to stress
  • HPA axis component, GR receptor methylation status changed
9
Q

Intimate partner violence

A
  • IPV during pregnancy affects gene expression

- HPA axis component, GR methylations status changed

10
Q

Fear

A
  • Gave parent mice odor fear conditioning before conception

- F1 and F2 mice were still conditioned to fear this specific odor

11
Q

Anti-predatory

A
  • Gravid crickets exposed to wolf spiders
  • Offspring exhibit longer immobility in presence of wolf spiders specifically
  • Greater survival