DNA Methylation
What is the chemical formula of a methyl group?
-CH3
What is a more specific name for an ncRNA?
Small RNA or microRNA
Is the charge on DNA negative or positive?
Negative
What is reprogramming?
The erasure of the parents' epigenome.
What is an example of DNA methylation being put to use in the context of chromosome redundancy?
Which nucleic acid (DNA, mRNA, tRNA, rRNA) do ncRNAs tend to disrupt?
mRNA
What does histone deacetylation do?
Histone deacetylation tightens DNA packaging and reduces gene expression.
What is one challenge in tracking epigenetic inheritance in humans?
Long lifespans or greater genetic diversity or ethical considerations
How does DNA methylation silence a gene?
It prevents transcription factors from binding.
What is the function of the argonaute protein?
How does histone acetylation affect the charge of a histone protein.
It neutralizes/reduces histone proteins' charge.
In the Överkalix study, in what age range did a boy's diet most affect his (and his descendants') epigenome?
9 to 12 years old
What is the name of the region where methyl groups attach to the DNA?
What is formed when a small RNA binds to an argonaute protein?
RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC)
How does histone methylation differ from DNA methylation?
Histone methylation can activate or repress genes depending on the context, but DNA methylation only represses genes.
Why is reprogramming necessary?
The sperm and egg cells develop from already specialized cells. The embryo must have an entirely new epigenome so that it can develop a variety of specialized cells.