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Genetics/epigenetics--can we overcome our genetics?

chilove

Senior Member
Messages
365
Hey all,

I'm very curious about epigenetics and would love to not feel so damned by my genetics (MTHFR, CBS, COMT, DAO)... does epigenetics mean that we can actually test differently in a better overall environment? Meaning if I'm well rested, avoiding stress and toxins and re-did the 23andme test I might not have those mutations in the future? If so, that would be so exciting but I thought you either have these mutations at birth or you don't... very confused about that....
 

adreno

PR activist
Messages
4,841
No, the 23andme test your genotype (dna), not your phenotype.

Phenotype is how your genes are expressed from your dna code (dependent on environment), this is closely related to protein folding. Epigenetics is changes in your gene expression.

At least this is my rudimentary understanding.
 

chilove

Senior Member
Messages
365
So what do we have influence over? Whether or not the mutations are "on or off"? Is that expression means?
 

adreno

PR activist
Messages
4,841
With methylation gene expression can be silenced (meaning that the gene is not expressed). So yes, this is like turning the gene off. Hopefully this will prevent some bad mutations from being expressed, but you cannot be sure which genes are targeted. You can read more about gene silencing here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_silencing
 

WillowJ

คภภเє ɠรค๓թєl
Messages
4,940
Location
WA, USA
like @adreno said, a gene test is for the sequence of nucleotides which is inherited from your parents. This is known as genotype. Your results from whatever gene testing you did (e.g. 23andMe) refer to this sequence of nucleotides. You cannot improve your gene test results, although I believe scientists are working on this problem.

Some genes have a lot of influence on what happens, and some have less or little. I do not know what category these specific mutations fall into. However it seems some people with these sorts of changes improve and there does seem to be hope for us all.

There is other information in the proteins around the genes (they are coiled around these round proteins with basically tails--the tails can be compared to a tag on a package. There are also other proteins also, which attach to the DNA), and these proteins give information about such things like how tightly to pack the genes. If they are packed tightly enough they are effectively deactivated. If needed to make a protein, they will need to be packed more loosely. I think it also might help "decide" when a gene is needed, although I do not recall for sure.

This information in the proteins is not genetic (i.e. it is not information coded in the sequence of DNA). It is called epigentic (meaning "upon the genes" or something like that).

Some epigenetic information is inherited, particularly from the mother (although a very small amount is inherited from the father). A lot of it is restarted rather than inherited, however. Some (lots?) is amenable to change.

Some of the information in the proteins is in methyl groups, a biochemical structure made of a carbon atom bonded to a main atom of whatever structure it's attached to (usually another carbon, but it could be sulpher or something like that) with nothing but three hydrogen atoms around the carbon atom. Methyl is -CH(3). It can be supplied by good forms of folate, SAM-e, etc.

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/epigenetics/intro/
 
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adreno

PR activist
Messages
4,841
Here is a news article describing exactly what you're asking about, namely that the environment affects gene expression in autism, and how researchers are trying to silence this expression using methylation. I believe we have similar problems in ME/CFS.

A team from King’s College London, UK, looked at so-called “epigenetic changes” involved in ASD, in which the environment affects the expression of genes without changing the underlying DNA.

This type of change is potentially reversible with treatment. The idea that epigenetic influences may be partly responsible for the development of ASDs has gained popularity in recent years.

The team focused on DNA methylation, which blocks the genetic sequences behind gene expression, and can “silence” the activity of a gene.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/03/27/environment-affects-autism-genes/67684.html