Epigenetics

Jonathan D. Turner*, Sophie A. Kirschner, Anne M. Molitor, Konstantin Evdokimov, Claude P. Muller

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The external environment plays a primordial role in determining gene expression, and protein production, which may in turn define a behavioral or physiological phenotype. This control occurs at both the transcriptional and translational levels and involves a wide range of mechanisms, providing a plethora of opportunities for altering the final level of functional proteins. These mechanisms all share the common feature that they do not alter the underlying genomic sequence, but they act as biological annotations to the genome. In this article we review these mechanisms, and how they are related to health. In particular the role of the three epigenetic mechanisms in controlling the glucocorticoid receptor, as well as the stress phenotype, is reviewed in detail.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationInternational Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences: Second Edition
PublisherElsevier Inc.
Pages839-847
Number of pages9
ISBN (Electronic)9780080970875
ISBN (Print)9780080970868
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 26 Mar 2015

Keywords

  • DNA methylation
  • Epigenetics
  • Gene-environment interactions
  • Histones
  • Micro RNA

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