Current Epigenetic Research

Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression that are not actually encoded in the DNA of the genome. These effects are mediated by the covalent attachment of chemical groups to DNA and its associated proteins, histones and chromatin. Types of modification include:

• methylation
• acetylation
• phosphorylation
• ubiquitination
• ADP-ribosylation

There is great potential for translational research via these studies. Encouraging evidence has linked epigenetic effects to oncogenesis progression and treatment (1), the regulation of development and function of the nervous system (2), gene regulation (3), cellular stress events (3), nutrigenomics (4), aging and DNA repair (5). Considerable ongoing efforts by researchers are directed towards identifying the dynamic functions of various epigenetic marks, and elucidating their mechanisms to contextualize epigenomes.

References

1. Baylin S. and Jones P (2011) Nature Rev Cancer (10): 726-34. PMID: 21941284
2. Riccio A (2010) Nature Neuroscience. 13(11): 1330–1337. PMID: 20975757
3. Huang J., et al. (2006) Nature, 444, 629–632. PMID: 17108971
4. Park LK, Friso S and Choi SW (2011) Proc Nutr Soc., Nov 4: 1-9. PMID: 22051144
5. Pahlich S, Zakaryan RP and Gehring H (2006) Biochim. Biophys. Acta., 1764, 1890–1903. PMID: 17010682