What is Epigenetics?

A double-helix DNA strand is not close to the end of what creates genes that make us, humans, who we are. There is another aspect present that controls genes called epigenetics. Epigenetics involves genetic control by factors other than a DNA sequence. This means that other factors, such as environmental factors (ex. stress and diet) adjusts the genes in our genomes to fit our environment. If an individual were to experience a traumatic event such as child abuse, their stress towards that specific situation has the ability to trigger a negative chemical change that can activate or silence genes. This is because epigenetic changes can cause genes to switch “on” or “off” and determines which proteins are transcribed (this is why cells in the digestive system can control sugar, but cells in the brains can’t). It has the ability to lead the individual to a mental disorder such as depression or PTSD. This is a gene expression change in response to environmental cues. Mechanisms that control such changes are DNA methylation, histone modification, and RNA silencing.

DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism used by cells to control gene expression (phenotypes). It’s also the most commonly used epigenetic signaling tool that can fix genes in the “off” or “on” position which is an important aspect when considering that epigenetic disorders can be more efficiently fixed with epigenetic therapies.

RNA silencing is when one or more genes is prevented from developing by small non-coding pieces of RNA (microRNA). These RNA’s act as switches serving a great amount of influence in the cell. For example, they “fine-tune” the gene expression as they act as specific “modulators” depending on the cell type. miRNA has good effects such as playing a role in tumor suppression which means they can be manipulated in treating epigenetic diseases such as cancer.

Greatest Advancement

The greatest advancement with regards to epigenetics and DNA mehtylation has to be the development of bisulfite methylation sequencing. Its the use of bisulfite treatment of DNA to view methylation in every cytosine in the genome. Bisulfite conversion changes unmethylated cytosines to uracil. These converted bases are treated like thymine in the sequencing, and read counts are used to determine the amount of methylated cytosines.

How is this BioTechnology best used?

The miRNA that is apart of RNA silencing is the best used when it comes to medicine. There have been many discoveries regarding silencing RNA, or more specifically the miRNA especially when it comes to medicine. With miRNA many medical researchers have found that it can help fight off certain diseases and infections. For example, autoimmune disease such as lupus, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis, in the past, have only been treated by steroids which leaves the host with the threat of infection. Targeting miRNA may be better to treat these diseases by limiting their action to help restore balance within the human immune system that is more likely to protect the host.

How is this form of BioTechnology changing the world as we continue to advance towards the future

As I have stated, this type of biotechnology helps in the medical field and has the potential to help with cancer. As we know, there are tumor suppressors within our bodies (miRNA-34a). Mirnarx Therapeutics, Inc. figured that if they put artificial tumor suppressor that can be found in our bodies in cancer cells, it may provide a possible remedy. They worked through the possible downfalls that may not work and found something that is in clinical trial phases. Everybody on this earth in surrounded by cancer. People are either faced with hardship of having cancer or having a loved one that has cancer and has to battle hard which causes a great deal of heartbreak in everyone’s lives. If this trial were to be  successful, this could provide not necessarily a cure, but a beginning too finding something that could beat cancer in a less invasive, more efficient way.

Weinhold, Bob. “Epigenetics: The Science of Change.” Environmental Health Perspectives, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Mar. 2006, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1392256/

Tollefsbol, Trygve O. “DNA Methylation Gene- or Region-Specific Techniques.” Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.), U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3227536/

Schmidt, Marco F. “Drug target miRNAs: chances and challenges.” Trends in Biotechnology , Nov. 2014, www.cell.com/trends/biotechnology/fulltext/S0167-7799(14)00182-6