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Epigenetic Inheritance

All articles tagged with #epigenetic inheritance

Sea Anemones Reveal DNA Methylation as an Ancient Genome Shield
science24 days ago

Sea Anemones Reveal DNA Methylation as an Ancient Genome Shield

Removing DNA methylation in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis had little impact on development but unleashed hidden transposable elements, suggesting DNA methylation evolved as a genomic defense against jumping genes. The study also found that some induced epigenetic changes can be inherited due to limited post-fertilization epigenetic resetting, offering insight into the ancestral role of DNA methylation and the evolution of gene regulation.

via SciTechDaily|
#dna-methylation#epigenetic-inheritance#evolution
Gene body methylation acts as a genome defense and enables heritable regulatory variation in a cnidarian
epigenetics1 month ago

Gene body methylation acts as a genome defense and enables heritable regulatory variation in a cnidarian

In the cnidarian Nematostella vectensis, gene body methylation (gbM) marks stably expressed genes and is not a driver of dynamic transcription. Loss of 5mC via a DNMT1 inhibitor or DNMT1/UHRF1 morpholinos leads to global demethylation, widespread chromatin opening, and ectopic intragenic transcription, including activation of young transposons. Importantly, methylation is selectively re-established in the germline and is not globally reset after fertilization, allowing heritable aberrant methylation states and generating regulatory variation across generations—supporting gbM as an ancient genome defense in animals.

via Nature|
#epigenetic-inheritance#epigenetics#gbm
Dietary Vitamin B12 Shapes Inherited Traits in Worms
science2 months ago

Dietary Vitamin B12 Shapes Inherited Traits in Worms

Researchers show that vitamin B12 in the diet of the nematode Pristionchus pacificus can induce a predatory mouth form that is passed to offspring through egg nutrients, demonstrating diet-driven epigenetic inheritance. The effect depends on dose and is linked to methionine, with folate not producing the same result; while this reveals a mechanism in worms, there is no evidence it applies to humans.

via Earth.com|
#diet#epigenetic-inheritance#inheritance
Cracking the Code: Unveiling How Plants Pass on Genetic Memories
science2 years ago

Cracking the Code: Unveiling How Plants Pass on Genetic Memories

Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have discovered how plants pass along chemical markers, known as epigenetic inheritance, that control the activation of transposons or "jumping genes." The researchers identified the protein DDM1, which helps place regulatory marks on DNA strands to keep transposons inactive. They found that DDM1 displaces specific histones, which are packing proteins that wrap around DNA, to expose sites needing methylation. The study also revealed that a histone found only in pollen acts as a placeholder during cell division, preserving epigenetic controls across generations. This research may have implications for agriculture, food supplies, and understanding how similar proteins maintain DNA methylation in humans.

via Phys.org|
#ddm1-protein#dna-methylation#epigenetic-inheritance