Epigenetic research is at the forefront of plant biology and molecular genetics. Studies on higher plants underscore the significant role played by epigenetics in both plant development and stress response. Relatively recent advances in analytical methodology have allowed for a significant expansion of what is known about genome-wide mapping of DNA methylation and histone modifications. In this...

Epigenetic sciences study heritable changes in gene expression not related to changes in the genomic DNA sequence. The most important epigenetic mechanisms are DNA methylation, posttranslational histone modification, and gene regulation by noncoding RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are responsible for at least one-third of prematu...

How long organisms live is not entirely written in their genes. Recent findings reveal that epigenetic factors that regulate histone methylation, a type of chromatin modification, can affect lifespan. The reversible nature of chromatin modifications suggests that therapeutic targeting of chromatin regulators could be used to extend lifespan and healthspan. This review describes the epigenetic r...

Genetics and epigenetics coregulate the cancer initiation and progression. Epigenetic mechanisms include DNA methylation, histone modification, chromatin remodeling, and noncoding RNAs. Aberrant epigenetic modifications play a fundamental role in the formation of gastrointestinal cancers. Advances in epigenetics offer a better understanding of the carcinogenesis and provide new insights into th...

In mammals, higher order chromatin structures are critical for downsizing the genome (packaging) so that the nucleus can be small. The adjustable density of chromatin also regulates gene expression, thus this post-genetic molecular mechanism is one of the routes by which phenotype is shaped. Phenotypes that arise without a concomitant mutation of the underlying genome are termed epigenetic phen...

The ability to reprogram somatic cell nuclei back into a pluripotent epigenetic state provides exciting new possibilities for in vitro research and cell transplantation therapy. There has been a significant quantity of recent research studies demonstrating that this epigenetic reprogramming process is possible with human and non-human primate somatic cells. In this review, various methodologies...

Epigenetic changes frequently occur in human colorectal cancer. Genomic global hypomethylation, gene promoter region hypermethylation, histone modifications, and alteration of miRNA patterns are major epigenetic changes in colorectal cancer. Loss of imprinting(LOI) is associated with colorectal neoplasia. Folate deficiency may cause colorectal carcinogenesis by inducing gene-specific hypermethy...

The epigenetic regulation of DNA-templated processes has been intensely studied over the last 15 years. DNA methylation, histone modification, nucleosome remodeling, and RNA-mediated targeting regulate many biological processes that are fundamental to the genesis of cancer. Here, we present the basic principles behind these epigenetic pathways and highlight the evidence suggesting that their mi...

The term epigenetic was introduced by Conard Waddington in 1942 as a concept of environmental influence in inducing phenotype modification. His work on developmental plasticity states that the environmental influences during development could induce alternative phenotypes from one genotype, one of the clearest examples is polyphenisms in insects. He showed that exposing the pupae of wild type D...