How Information Beyond the Genetic Sequence Is Encoded in Plant Sperm
Published:05 Jul.2021 Source:John Innes Centre
Hereditary information is passed from parent to offspring in the genetic code, DNA, and epigenetically through chemically induced modifications around the DNA. New research from the John Innes Centre has uncovered a mechanism which adjusts these modifications, altering the way information beyond the genetic code is passed down the generations.
DNA methylation, one example of these epigenetic modifications, happens when a methyl group or chemical cap is added to the DNA, switching a gene, or genes, on or off. As germline (eggs and sperm) cells develop some of the methyl markers are reset, affecting the information passed onto the next generation.