What is epigenetics, and does it change DNA?
Epigenetics changes how cells use DNA without changing the DNA sequence itself.
Illustration: Nauka Prosto, created with AI assistance.
Epigenetics studies mechanisms that influence gene activity without changing the underlying DNA sequence.
In other words, the “text” of DNA can remain the same while the cell changes how it uses the information written in it. Epigenetic mechanisms can make certain genes more active while keeping others less active or silent.
Examples include DNA methylation and chemical modifications of the proteins around which DNA is packaged. These processes help cells maintain patterns of gene activity over time.
Epigenetic regulation is one reason liver cells remain liver cells and brain cells remain brain cells, even though their DNA sequences are nearly identical.
Epigenetic patterns can change during development, ageing, disease, and in response to environmental conditions. However, epigenetics usually does not rewrite the DNA sequence itself. Instead, it affects how that sequence is read and used.
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