PSY333H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Methylation, Rodent, Cortisol
Document Summary
What is epigenetics: study of how dna interacts with other molecules found inside the cell which can activate and deactivate genes, transcription of genes is influenced by epigenetics. Epigenetic reprograming": chemical tags can be influenced by medication, diet, and chemical exposure, methylation of genes (turned off) due to a lack of attention during childhood which makes them less resistant to stress in the future (mice study) If a gene is methylated it is inhibited i. e. will not be expressed: enzymes methylate the promotor which is essential in starting the reading process. Histone acetylation: promotor of gene expression; opens the scroll" for the dna to be read, genes that are acetylated are generally compact. Histone variant exchange: spools are cylindrical proteins made up of 8 subparts spool and can be exchanged, subparts are called histones, certain subcomponents repress or express certain genes. Epigenetics and health: exposure to toxic chemicals, abuse and neglect, etc.
