In epigenetic inheritance, hereditary information flows from parents to offspring not via DNA, but through the millions of proteins and other molecules that cling to the DNA strands. These modifications of DNA, known as “epigenetic marks,” act as both a switch and a dial – they can determine which genes should be turned on or […]
Tag Archives | mechanisms
Prions Role In Evolution Revealed
An incorrect change in a molecule’s shape when a protein misfolds can lead to diseases including Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s. But scientists have discovered that misfolded proteins can have a positive effect in yeast, helping cells navigate natural selection by expressing a variety of hidden genetic traits. And at the center of this process is a […]
Nazi Eugenics Should Be Confronted
Researching the history of reproductive medicine during the Nazi era is still taboo, a leading German professor told the 20th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. However, it is vital that such research is conducted, because if Germans do not understand what motivated the behaviour of doctors in the past, […]