Consuming fructose, a sugar that's common in the Western diet, alters hundreds of genes that may be linked to many diseases, life scientists report. However, they discovered good news as well: an important omega-3 fatty acid known as DHA seems to reverse the harmful changes produced by fructose.

As an organism grows and responds to its environment, genes in its cells are constantly turning on and off, with different patterns of gene expression in different cells. But can changes in gene expression be passed on from parents to their children and subsequent generations? Researchers have now demonstrated that epigenetic information carried by parental sperm chromosomes can cause changes in gene expression and development in the offspring.

Phthalates are used by industry in plastic products. Their toxic effect on the endocrine system is worrying. Indeed, the exposure of male fetuses to phthalates can have devastating consequences for the fertility. However, researchers show that phthalate susceptibility depends largely on the genetic heritage of each individual. These results raise the question of individual vulnerability and the possible transmission to future generations of epigenetic changes that should normally be erased during fetal development.

New research is helping to tease out the mechanics of how the gut microbiome communicates with the cells of its host to switch genes on and off. The upshot of the study, another indictment of the so-called Western diet (high in saturated fats, sugar and red meat), reveals how the metabolites produced by the bacteria in the stomach chemically communicate with cells, including cells far beyond the colon, to dictate gene expression and health in its host.

Changing the epigenetic code of a single gene is enough to cause a healthy breast cell to begin a chain reaction and become abnormal, according to new research.

Hack Your Genes Naturally with this Methylation Report

According to epigenetics -- the study of inheritable changes in gene expression not directly coded in our DNA -- our life experiences may be passed on to our children and our children's children. Studies on survivors of traumatic events have suggested that exposure to stress may indeed have lasting effects on subsequent generations. But how exactly are these genetic "memories" passed on?

A new study provides a comparative analysis of the evolution of epigenetic mechanisms from prokaryotes (bacteria) to simple eukaryotes (multi-cellular) to more complex eukaryotes (humans).

The past of our ancestors lives on through us: Groundbreaking research illustrates how parental experience is not only epigenetically imprinted onto offspring, but onto an unprecedented number of future generations. Rather than occurring over the elongated time scale of millions of years, genetic change can transpire in real biological time through nanoparticles known as exosomes

Epigenetic studies in animal models have demonstrated that diet affects gene regulation by altering methylation patterns. We interrogated methylomes in humans who have different sources of protein in their diet. We compared methylation of DNA isolated from buffy coat in 38 vegans, 41 pescatarians and 68 nonvegetarians. Methylation data were obtained using Infinium HumanMethylation450 arrays and analyzed using the Partek Genomic software. Differences in differentially methylated sites were small, though with the use of relaxed statistical tests we did identify diet-associated differences. To further test the validity of these observations, we performed separate and independent comparisons of the methylation differences between vegans and nonvegetarians, and between vegans and pescatarians. The detected differences were then examined to determine if they were enriched in specific pathways. Pathway analysis revealed enrichment of several specific processes, including homeobox transcription and glutamate transport. The detected differences in DNA methylation patterns between vegans, pescatarians, and nonvegetarians enabled us to identify 77 CpG sites that may be sensitive to diet and/or lifestyle, though high levels of individual-specific differences were also noted.

Obesity is associated with reduced muscle mass and impaired metabolism. Epigenetic changes that affect the formation of new muscle cells may be a contributing factor, according to new research.

In Biology of Belief, Dr. Bruce Lipton, PhD, outlines a new understanding of life based on his pioneering research with stem cells at Stanford University. In his book, Dr. Lipton proclaims that genes do not control biology, and that cellular perceptions of the environment are the primary factor in biological processes. Proteins are the staff of life, the physical gears that orchestrate the movements of biology. There are estimated to be about 100,000 different kinds of proteins in the human body. Today, medical students and practitioners are still operating under the assumption that genes, the blueprints that proteins are made from, are the primary factor in biological processes. When James Watson and Francis Crick first visualized the molecular structure of DNA in 1953, the scientific community believed they had found the ultimate secret to life. The widely accepted understanding is that genetic information stored within the DNA is enough to explain all of molecular biology and heredity and is the reason why living organisms look and behave as they do, in sickness and in health. The old scientific paradigm espoused that inert genes were the brain of the cell, directing and controlling which proteins become expressed in every cell and that we are essentially all just victims of heredity. After doing experiments with enucleation, a process where the genes are removed from the cell, Dr. Lipton and other experimenters found that cells live normal lives for up to two months or even longer before their proteins wore out and they died, an observation that contradicts the primacy of genes in cell biology. The genetic information stored in DNA is the blueprint from which all of the body's proteins can be made. Modern science has mistaken the blueprint, the DNA, for the contractor who actually builds the house. So, if the genes are not the brains of the cell, what is? Introducing the Cell MemBrain. At just seven nanometers wide, this phospholipid bilayer is covered in hundreds of thousands of different receptor proteins. These receptor proteins are each specialized to interpret different signals from the environment and then relay that information back into the cell. When a chemical messenger like a hormone or a neurotransmitter binds to a receptor protein like a key going into a lock, the receptor protein activates corresponding effector proteins inside of the cell, initiating a cascade of chemical reactions within the cell. These are called IMPs, or integral membrane proteins. This receptor effector protein relationships in the cell membrane is how a cell perceives and reacts to its environment. A molecule in the environment binds to a receptor protein, an effector protein gets activated, and the chemical release inside the cell makes its way back to the cell's nucleus where the DNA is opened up so a new protein can be made in the process of transcription. All the functions of DNA depend on interactions with proteins. For example, within the chromosomes, proteins such as histones compact and organize DNA. These compact structures guide the interactions between DNA and other proteins helping control which parts of the DNA are transcribed. For a gene to be expressed, a sigma factor protein needs to bind to RNA polymerase for it to split the DNA and be able to access the blueprint. Different sigma factors are utilized under different environmental conditions. The specialized sigma factors bind the promotors of genes appropriate to the environmental conditions, increasing the transcription of those genes. The genes chosen to be activated and synthesized into new proteins are the direct result of signals from the environment interacting with receptor proteins in the cell membrane. This is the molecular basis for the environment being the primary factor in biological processes. Understanding this complex interaction between environmental conditions and gene expression leads to a marvelous new understanding of biological development where evolution is no longer a mindless game of chance based on random hereditary variants but an interactive dance between organism and environment. ⭐Learn more about Quantum University ⭐ 🎓Degree Programs Offered - https://quantumuniversity.com/degree-programs/ 💻Student Experience - https://quantumuniversity.com/student-experience/ 💙Career Paths - https://quantumuniversity.com/career-paths/ ❓ Request Information - https://quantumuniversity.com/request-information/ 👍 Like Us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/QuantumUniversity

Both heredity and environmental factors influence our risk of cardiovascular disease. A new study shows now that the memory of a heart attack can be stored in our genes through epigenetic changes.

A new study offers clues as to why chronic pain can persist, even when the injury that caused it has gone. Although still in its infancy, this research could explain how small and seemingly innocuous injuries leave molecular 'footprints' which add up to more lasting damage, and ultimately chronic pain.

Deciding to start a family is one of the most important decisions in life. Its not only important to choose the right timing, its also necessary to optimize your health before starting a family. By learning simple, but powerful healthy concepts, you can make small changes today that can have major impacts on the […]

Cancer cells have a different DNA methylation pattern from that of healthy cells. These patterns can be used to explain tumor-specific deviations in gene expression and to identify biomarkers for the detection of tumors, as well as associated prognosis and treatment planning. This is all possible thanks to epigenetics. Epigenetics looks at special regulation mechanisms, such as DNA methylation and histone modifications, which determine the gene expression pattern of different types of cell and are passed on to daughter cells, without there being any specific changes to the DNA base sequence. Using this technology, it is now also possible to identify the original tumor cells, by comparing them with healthy cells.

A new type of biomarker has been found that can predict the risk of type 2 diabetes, by detecting epigenetic changes in specific genes through a simple blood test, report investigators.

Evidence of a new principle for how epigenetic changes can occur has now been outlined by a team of researchers. The principle is based on an enzyme, tryptase, that has epigenetic effects that cause cells to proliferate in an uncontrolled manner.

The lack of oxygen in tumor cells changes the cells' gene expression, thereby contributing to the growth of cancer, suggest researchers. The findings are far-reaching, as the study also proved that maintaining a proper oxygen supply in tumors inhibits these so-called 'epigenetic aberrations.'

The epigenome refers to the entirety of DNA methylations, histone modifications, nucleosome occupancy, and coding and non-coding RNAs (and their modifications) in different cell types [...]

A new study has shown pregnant women with obesity could reduce the health risks for their infants through improved diet and more physical activity.

The extra pounds you gain during the holidays will not only show up on your hips but will also affect your DNA, concludes a large-scale international study. The study shows that a high BMI leads to epigenetic changes at nearly 200 loci of the genome – with effects on gene expression.

A growing body of research is revealing associations between birth defects and a father's age, alcohol use and environmental factors, say researchers. They say these defects result from epigenetic alterations that can potentially affect multiple generations.

Researchers have revealed for the first time that males infected with the Toxoplasma parasite can impact their offspring's brain health and behavior. Studying mice infected with the common parasite Toxoplasma, the team discovered that sperm of infected fathers carried an altered 'epigenetic' signature which impacted the brains of resulting offspring. Molecules in the sperm called 'small RNA' appeared to influence the offspring's brain development and behavior.

Researchers have identified special regions of the genome where a blood sample can be used to infer epigenetic regulation throughout the body, allowing scientists to test for epigenetic causes of disease.

An error in one of the most widely used methods in epigenetics, DIP-seq, can cause misleading results. This may have major significance in the research field, where 'big data' and advanced methods of DNA analysis are used to study vast amounts of data. Correcting for the errors in existing DIP-seq data may lead to new discoveries from previous studies of human epigenetics.

Scientists have discovered how an embryo’s genomic integrity is safeguarded during the first 24 hours after fertilization. Insights into this mechanism have implications for improving in vitro fertilization.