7D Nature vs Nurture

Question 1

1. What is epigenetics?

Answer 1

Epigenetics is the study of how your behaviours and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes are expressed. Epigenetic traits are somatically heritable.

Question 2

2. What can epigenetics alter?

Answer 2

Epigenetics can alter how a gene is transcribed more or less or not at all

Question 3

3. What are the two types of epigenetics?

Answer 3

DNA methylation and histone modification

Question 4

4. Explain DNA methylation.

Answer 4

DNA methylation:
* Methyl groups (small hydrocarbon molecules) attach to certain nucleotides within the DNA sequence of a particular gene and alter the level of gene expressions.
* Often cause genes to be silences (turned off)

Question 5

5. Explain histone modification.

Answer 5

Histone modification:
* Modifies how tightly DNA is wound around histone proteins
* The tighter the DNA is wrapped around the histone the more difficult it is the transcribe
* Alternatively, if it is less highly wound, it is easier to transcribe