epigenome
Sign in to savethumb|The function of DNA strands (yellow) alters depending on how it is organized around histones (blue) that can be methylated (green). In biology, the epigenome of an organism is the collection of chemical changes to its DNA and histone proteins that affects when, where, and how the DNA is expressed; these changes can be passed down to an organism's offspring via transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Changes to the epigenome can result in changes to the structure of chromatin and changes to the function of the genome. The human epigenome, including DNA methylation and histone modificati
Article
22 sectionsContents
- Types
- DNA methylation
- Methylation sites
- Factors affecting methylation pattern
- Correlation between methylation and gene expression
- Methylation in embryos
- Sequence-Dependent Allele-Specific Methylation
- Histone modification
- Acetylation
- Methylation
- Non-coding RNA gene silencing
- Structural modifications
- Topological associated domains (TADs)
- Correlation between methylation and 3D structure
- Clinical significance
- Cancer
- Aging
- Research
- Roadmap epigenomics project
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|The function of DNA strands (yellow) alters depending on how it is organized around histones (blue) that can be methylated (green). In biology, the epigenome of an organism is the collection of chemical changes to its DNA and histone proteins that affects when, where, and how the DNA is expressed; these changes can be passed down to an organism's offspring via transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Changes to the epigenome can result in changes to the structure of chromatin and changes to the function of the genome. The human epigenome, including DNA methylation and histone modification, is maintained through cell division (both mitosis and meiosis). The epigenome is essential for normal development and cellular differentiation, enabling cells with the same genetic code to perform different functions. The human epigenome is dynamic and can be influenced by environmental factors such as diet, stress, and toxins.
The epigenome is involved in regulating gene expression, development, tissue differentiation, and suppression of transposable elements. Unlike the underlying genome, which remains largely static within an individual, the epigenome can be dynamically altered by environmental conditions.