Epigenetics and Behavior

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Jablonka ◽  
Zohar Bronfman
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Epigenetic Inheritance ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanisms ◽  
Developmental Context ◽  
Dividing Cells ◽  
And Behavior

Behavioral epigenetics is part of the thriving field of epigenetics, which describes the study of developmental processes that lead to persistent changes in the states of organisms, their components, and their lineages. Such developmental, context-sensitive changes are mediated by epigenetic mechanisms that establish and maintain the changes in patterns of gene expression and cellular structures that occur during ontogeny in both nondividing cells, such as most mature neurons, and dividing cells such as stem cells. When information is vertically transmitted to cells during cell division, or horizontally between cells through migrating reproducing molecules (like small RNAs), and when variations in the transmitted information are not determined by variations in DNA sequence (i.e., the same DNA sequence has more than one cell-heritable epigenetic state), epigenetic inheritance is said to occur. Behavioral epigenetics investigates the role of behavior in the shaping of developmental epigenetic states and the reciprocal role of epigenetic factors and mechanisms in the shaping of the behavior of human and nonhuman animals, at the short-, middle-, and long-term (ontogenetic, ecological, and evolutionary) time scales. The focus is on the molecular-epigenetic study of the interactions between environmental factors, such as ecological factors and habitual activities such as lifestyles and learning, with genetic variation and the neurobiological and physiological mechanisms that mediate between the regulation of gene expression and behavior. This range of epigenetic processes therefore includes, but is not limited to, studies involving epigenetic inheritance and the direct and indirect evolutionary effects of epigenetic developmental mechanisms. The neural-behavioral aspects that occur during ontogeny through the mediation of epigenetic mechanisms are central to behavioral epigenetics and are the main focus of neural epigenetics.

scholarly journals Epidrugs: novel epigenetic regulators that open a new window for targeting osteoblast differentiation

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahsa Ghorbaninejad ◽  
Maliheh Khademi-Shirvan ◽  
Samaneh Hosseini ◽  
Mohamadreza Baghaban Eslaminejad
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Osteogenic Differentiation ◽  
Enzyme Inhibitors ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanisms ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Regulate Gene Expression ◽  
Cell Based Therapy

Abstract Efficient osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a critical step in the treatment of bone defects and skeletal disorders, which present challenges for cell-based therapy and regenerative medicine. Thus, it is necessary to understand the regulatory agents involved in osteogenesis. Epigenetic mechanisms are considered to be the primary mediators that regulate gene expression during MSC differentiation. In recent years, epigenetic enzyme inhibitors have been used as epidrugs in cancer therapy. A number of studies mentioned the role of epigenetic inhibitors in the regulation of gene expression patterns related to osteogenic differentiation. This review attempts to provide an overview of the key regulatory agents of osteogenesis: transcription factors, signaling pathways, and, especially, epigenetic mechanisms. In addition, we propose to introduce epigenetic enzyme inhibitors (epidrugs) and their applications as future therapeutic approaches for bone defect regeneration.

scholarly journals The Role of Epigenetic Mechanisms in the Regulation of Gene Expression in the Nervous System

2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (45) ◽  
pp. 11427-11434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justyna Cholewa-Waclaw ◽  
Adrian Bird ◽  
Melanie von Schimmelmann ◽  
Anne Schaefer ◽  
Huimei Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanisms

scholarly journals Nucleosome assembly and disassembly pathways

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Hatakeyama ◽  
R. Retureau ◽  
M. Pasi ◽  
B. Hartmann ◽  
C. Nogues ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Base Pair ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Detailed Comparison ◽  
Nucleosome Assembly ◽  
Nucleosome Dynamics ◽  
Intermediate States

AbstractNucleosome assembly and disassembly play a central role in the regulation of gene expression. Here we use PhAST (Photochemical Analysis of Structural Transitions) to monitor at the base pair level, structural alterations induced all along DNA upon histone binding or release. By offering the first consistent, detailed comparison of nucleosome assembly and disassembly in vitro, we are able to reveal similarities and differences between the two processes. We identify multiple intermediate states characterised by specific PhAST signatures; revealing a complexity that goes beyond the known sequential events involving (H3-H4)2 tetramer and H2A-H2B heterodimers. Such signatures localise and quantify the extent of the asymmetry of DNA/histone interactions with respect to the nucleosome dyad. This asymmetry is therefore defined by the localisation and amplitude of the signals. The localisation of the signal is consistent between assembly and disassembly and dictated by the DNA sequence. However, the amplitude component of this asymmetry not only evolves during the assembly and disassembly but does so differently between the two processes.Understanding the regulation of gene expression requires a complete knowledge of nucleosome dynamics. Our unexpected observation of differences between assembly and disassembly opens up new avenues to define the role of the DNA sequence in these processes. Overall, we provide new insights into how the intrinsic properties of DNA are integrated into a holistic mechanism that controls chromatin structure.Statement of SignificanceThis manuscript addresses the question of nucleosome dissociation compares with association. We used PhAST which is a non-intrusive photochemical technique to follow nucleosome dynamics at base pair resolution. We observed structural asymmetry during nucleosome turnover. We also showed for the first time that the process of nucleosome dissociation is not a reversal of association. This asymmetry favours intermediate states involved in chromatin organisation suggesting novel models for the role of nucleosome turnover in the epigenetic regulation of gene expression.

The role of epigenetics in social psychiatry

2016 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Peedicayil
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Psychosocial Factors ◽  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Social Psychiatry ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanisms ◽  
Peripheral Tissues ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Brain Tissues

Background: Epigenetics refers to the study of heritable changes in gene expression not involving changes in DNA sequence and is presently an active area of research in biology and medicine. There is increasing evidence that epigenetics is involved in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. Aims and Methods: Several studies conducted to date have suggested that psychosocial factors act by modifying epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression in the brain in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. Such studies have been conducted both on brain tissues and also using peripheral tissues as substitutes for brain tissues. This article reviews such studies. Results and Conclusion: Epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression in the brain appear to link one individual with another in the context of social psychiatry. Epigenetics appears to be of major importance to the field of social psychiatry.

Speciation and changes in male gene expression in Drosophila

Genome ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Bahar Patlar ◽  
Alberto Civetta
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Reproductive Isolation ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Drosophila Model ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Plastic Responses ◽  
Male Gene

It has long been acknowledged that changes in the regulation of gene expression may account for major organismal differences. However, we still do not fully understand how changes in gene expression evolve and how do such changes influence organisms’ differences. We are even less aware of the impact such changes might have in restricting gene flow between species. Here, we focus on studies of gene expression and speciation in the Drosophila model. We review studies that have identified gene interactions in post-mating reproductive isolation and speciation, particularly those that modulate male gene expression. We also address studies that have experimentally manipulated changes in gene expression to test their effect in post-mating reproductive isolation. We highlight the need for a more in-depth analysis of the role of selection causing disrupted gene expression of such candidate genes in sterile/inviable hybrids. Moreover, we discuss the relevance to incorporate more routinely assays that simultaneously evaluate the potential effects of environmental factors and genetic background in modulating plastic responses in male genes and their potential role in speciation.

scholarly journals The nucleoplasmic interactions among Lamin A/C-pRB-LAP2α-E2F1 are modulated by dexamethasone

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasia Ricci ◽  
Sara Orazi ◽  
Federica Biancucci ◽  
Mauro Magnani ◽  
Michele Menotta
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Cell Cycle Progression ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Lamin A ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Cycle Progression ◽  
C Dynamics ◽  
E2f Transcription Factor ◽  
Transcription Factor 1

AbstractAtaxia telangiectasia (AT) is a rare genetic neurodegenerative disease. To date, there is no available cure for the illness, but the use of glucocorticoids has been shown to alleviate the neurological symptoms associated with AT. While studying the effects of dexamethasone (dex) in AT fibroblasts, by chance we observed that the nucleoplasmic Lamin A/C was affected by the drug. In addition to the structural roles of A-type lamins, Lamin A/C has been shown to play a role in the regulation of gene expression and cell cycle progression, and alterations in the LMNA gene is cause of human diseases called laminopathies. Dex was found to improve the nucleoplasmic accumulation of soluble Lamin A/C and was capable of managing the large chromatin Lamin A/C scaffolds contained complex, thus regulating epigenetics in treated cells. In addition, dex modified the interactions of Lamin A/C with its direct partners lamin associated polypeptide (LAP) 2a, Retinoblastoma 1 (pRB) and E2F Transcription Factor 1 (E2F1), regulating local gene expression dependent on E2F1. These effects were differentially observed in both AT and wild type (WT) cells. To our knowledge, this is the first reported evidence of the role of dex in Lamin A/C dynamics in AT cells, and may represent a new area of research regarding the effects of glucocorticoids on AT. Moreover, future investigations could also be extended to healthy subjects or to other pathologies such as laminopathies since glucocorticoids may have other important effects in these contexts as well.

scholarly journals The Role of Translation Initiation Regulation in Haematopoiesis

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Godfrey Grech ◽  
Marieke von Lindern
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Translation Initiation ◽  
Translational Control ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽  
Mrna Translation ◽  
Translation Control ◽  
Haematological Disorders

Organisation of RNAs into functional subgroups that are translated in response to extrinsic and intrinsic factors underlines a relatively unexplored gene expression modulation that drives cell fate in the same manner as regulation of the transcriptome by transcription factors. Recent studies on the molecular mechanisms of inflammatory responses and haematological disorders indicate clearly that the regulation of mRNA translation at the level of translation initiation, mRNA stability, and protein isoform synthesis is implicated in the tight regulation of gene expression. This paper outlines how these posttranscriptional control mechanisms, including control at the level of translation initiation factors and the role of RNA binding proteins, affect hematopoiesis. The clinical relevance of these mechanisms in haematological disorders indicates clearly the potential therapeutic implications and the need of molecular tools that allow measurement at the level of translational control. Although the importance of miRNAs in translation control is well recognised and studied extensively, this paper will exclude detailed account of this level of control.

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