Paramutation: Just a Curiosity or Fine Tuning of Gene Expression in the Next Generation?
2011
Understanding Paramutation: Gene Expression Changes Across Generations
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): Pilu Roberto
Primary Institution: Dipartimento di Produzione Vegetale, Università degli Studi di Milano
Hypothesis
Could paramutation be involved in the rapid heritability of favorable epigenetic states across generations in a non-Mendelian way?
Conclusion
Paramutation is linked to gene silencing and can lead to heritable changes in gene expression without altering the DNA sequence.
Supporting Evidence
- Paramutation can occur in both plants and animals, indicating a broader biological significance.
- Changes in DNA methylation and chromatin structure are often associated with paramutation.
- Paramutation can lead to heritable changes in gene expression that are not due to changes in the DNA sequence.
Takeaway
Paramutation is like a game of telephone for genes, where one gene can change another's expression and pass that change down to future generations.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website