truly
Banned
Registered: Nov 2005
Location: minnesota
Posts: 3685 |
Q: With the discovery of epigenetics, it seems that behavior can influence the activation and deactivation of the genetic code that can even be passed on to the next generation. Does this mean it is possible that human culture can influence the evolutionary process?
Kenneth Humphrey, El Paso, Texas
A: Mammals whose offspring are born rather than hatched from an egg (marsupial or placental mammals) have imprinted genes. Imprinted genes are expressed from only one parental copy in a parent-of-origin dependent manner (Jirtle, R.L., & Weidman, J.R., Am. Sci. 95: 143-149, 2007). The parent-specific non-functional copy is silenced epigenetically. Moreover, imprinting can be altered after birth by diet (Waterland, R.A., et al., Hum. Mol. Genet. 15: 705-716, 2006). It has been postulated that disruption of genomic imprinting may contribute to mammalian speciation (Vrana, P.B., Nat. Genet. 20: 362-365, 1998). Thus, environmental factors including diet could be involved in the evolution of placental mammals by altering the repertoire of imprinted genes; however, there is presently no direct evidence of this occurring.
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