Embryos Receive Parent-Specific Layers of Information

by
in science on (#2THX)
story imageFollowing up on last week's article about offspring and mothers' previous sexual partners (in insects, anyway), new research now sheds some additional light on the multi-layered process of how a sperm and egg pass along information needed for successful reproduction.

As described in an article published in the journal PLOS Genetics:
Though one layer is the DNA code that is transferred, the new study identifies information not encoded by DNA, a so-called "epigenetic" layer of information that helps the cell interpret the genetic code.
In insects this additional "epigenetic" layer of information apparently can come from a previous mate. The question if such or similar mechanisms can also exist in higher organisms, e.g. also in humans, might be far fetched, but not that far, that it precludes a more thorough research. Clearly, there are still plenty of unknown factors in human and non-human reproduction: an area ripe for further research.

Re: Not much to debate... (Score: 2, Interesting)

by tanuki64@pipedot.org on 2014-10-21 14:04 (#2TJ4)

I find this very interesting. I wonder when this is commercially used. Gene technology is widely frowned upon. Mostly by people with no sufficient knowledge to be able to have an informed stand is this matter, and mostly for the totally wrong reasons. So, what is epigenetics able to do? Could it be possible to 'gas' seeds with some chemicals and make them this way more resistant against pests? Fine tune the fat/meat ratio in a pig? Without changing the DNA itself? Could be a billion $ market.
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