What do you mean ghosts hide in your genes? Can they appear sometimes and be invisible at other times?
Yes! Some genomes that carry functions can appear on sometime(turned on) and fade(turned off) just like a light switch. The function changes are called Epigenome. Within a chain of DNA in a genome, modifications regulate gene expression is known as the epigenome. The epigenetic changes will turn genes on/off to influence the gene expression.
One second, how is modification made?
In simple words, your genetic material(DNA) makes instructions on how a chain of amino acids is assembled into a protein. The process of DNA makes transcription & translation. A chemical that attaches to DNA can change DNA’s function. The chemical is called histone( sphere particles as shown below). The genome that Histone attached is “marked” The genome instruction is changed. As cell division happens. The changed functioned DNA will pass from generation to generation. And the marks turn your genome on/off.
What is the specific definition of epigenome? Go visit epigenomics
DNA marked by chemical tags on the DNA can turn on/off throughout your life. Your epigenetics at birth may be different from the epigenetics during childhood and adulthood. What is the factor that determines at what condition the genome turns off?
The answer is that lifestyle and environment can change the epigenomes. Some of which can be damaging, such as smoking, diet, infectious disease. In one case that I researched: A shift from clean environment to a environment with heavy metals and microplastic can affect the genome through a gene expression change. Nucleus exposed to a heavy metal environment can lead to DNA methylation changes in thousands of genes discovered by Daniel Shaughnessy, Ph.D. Learn more about what other environmental conditions change the epigenomes? Go explore this link .
Hope you have a basic understanding about the “Ghost” in your gene. Let me know more in the comment!
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