2. What is Epigenetics?
• Epigenetics is the study
of inheritable changes
that can occur without a
change in the DNA
sequence.
3. • Epigenetics are the changes of gene
expressions and the cells phenotypes.
• They are caused not by the DNA
sequence but other mechanisms.
• EPIGENETICS literally means ~epi
(above) ~genetics.
• This refers to changes in the genome.
5. • Epigenetics goes deeper then just your
genes they depend on your social
aspects, environment, and even your diet.
• The choices you make will affect your
children and even your grandchildren.
6.
7. • Epigenetics is really easy to see in identical
twins.
• If two twins with the same DNA were seperated
early on in life and one went to live in New York
and the other on the beach. The one in New
York would have a stressful lifa and may end up
having asthma due to the environment, while the
other would be living a stress-free life, it all
depends on the area, the people and your diet.
8. • Even if you make bad decisions for
yourself, your children may be have some
of that in them due to your mistake
• Diet is especially important, because not
making healthy choices can lead to cancer
and cause trouble to you in the future.
• The twin on the beach may do yoga every
morning and will be healthy and fit, she
won’t have cancer.
9. Ethical concerns
• Epigenetics is moving at a rapid rate.
• Intriguing research is being done, primarily
done on animals
• Epigenetics show up faster than mutations
• Researchers have found out that
epigenetic changes can be reversible
• People began calling epigenetics the new
“Lamarckism.”
10. Advantages
• One human testing it mainly works on
identical twins.
• Researchers are very picky and are
adopting epigenetics, to se if the methods
will answer any biological questions.
12. 5-mC intact. The uracils are
amplified as thymines, and
5-mC residues are amplified
as cytosines in PCR.
Comparison of sequence
information between the
reference genome and
bisulfite-treated DNA can
provide single-nucleotide
resolution information
about cytosine methylation
patterns.
Sequence-Specific Enzyme Digestion
Restriction enzymes are
used to generate DNA •High enzyme turnover •Determination of methylation status is limited by the enzyme recognition site
fragments for methylation •Well-studied •Overnight protocols
analysis. Some restriction •Easy-to-use •Lower throughput
enzymes are methylation- •Availability of recombinant
sensitive (i.e., digestion is enzymes
impaired or blocked by
methylated DNA). When
used in conjunction with an
isoschizomer that has the
same recognition site but is
methylation insensitive,
information about
methylation status can be
obtained. Additionally, the
use of methylation-
dependent restriction
enzymes (i.e., requires
methylated DNA for
cleavage to occur) can be
used to fragment DNA for
sequencing analysis.
Methylated DNA Fragmented genomic DNA
Immunoprecipitation (restriction enzyme •Relatively fast •Dependent on antibody specificity
digestion or sonication) is •Compatible with array-based •May require more than one 5-mC for antibody binding
denatured and analysis •Requires DNA denaturation
immunoprecipitated with •Applicable for high •Resolution depends on the size of the immunoprecipitated DNA and for microarray
antibodies specific for 5- throughput sequencing experiments, depends on probe design
mC. The enriched DNA •Data from repeat sequences may be overrepresented
fragments can be analyzed
by PCR for locus-specific
studies or by microarrays
(MeDIP-chip) and massively
parallel sequencing (MeDIP-
seq) for whole genome
studies.
Methylated DNA-Binding Instead of relying on
Proteins antibodies for DNA •Well-studied •May require high DNA input
enrichment, affinity-based •Does not require •May require a long protocol
assays use proteins that denaturation •Requires salt elutions
specifically bind methylated •Compatible with array-based •Does not give single base methylation resolution data
or unmethylated CpG sites analysis
in fragmented genomic DNA •Applicable for high
(restriction enzyme throughput sequencing
digestion or sonication).
The enriched DNA
fragments can be analyzed
by PCR for locus-specific
studies or by microarrays
and massively parallel
