DNA Methylation Analysis and Missing Heritability
DNA, the dogma goes, is the code of life, determining everything from hair color to our susceptibility to diseases. But many traits passed down from generation to generation are untraceable in the genome – a source of “missing heritability”. What if our environment changed gene expression, not only in our lifetime, but also in our children’s? Some studies are suggesting that this is precisely the case, potentially due to the addition of a CH3 group (methylation) to certain genes. It’s a controversial field, but one that will continue to examine the most essential questions of what our genetic code really means. (Image credit: Flickr/Natmandu)↧