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Examples Of Epigenetics

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The term epigenetics was first used by C. H. Waddington in 1942 as part of his model to connect genotypes and phenotypes during biological development. In contemporary use, it usually refers to the idea that other things besides DNA sequence can affect the developmental process of an organism. An example of this is DNA methylation, when methyl groups are added to DNA molecules. These methyl groups typically act by suppressing the transcription of certain genes, thus altering gene expression without modifying the underlying DNA.
A perfect example of epigenetics is the development of the brain, more than any other organ. The brain has over one hundred billion neurons and one hundred trillion synaptic connections, meaning that no two brains
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Inheritance by Dr. Sharon Moalem is an exceptional book. Dr. Moalem’s goal for writing this book is to convey a new idea of genetics and inheritance to the reader. In middle school and high school we were taught that our genetics comes from our parents and that they are fixed throughout our lifetime, but Dr. Sharon Moalem brings the idea that the environment may alter them. He states that the food we eat and the trauma we endure during life can imprint onto our genes. Dr. Moalem works with rare genetic disorders where he accumulates his knowledge from research to help treat his patients with changing some environmental factors in their lives.

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DNA are inside genes, and genes are within cells. In each cell, there are different genes that have certain functions depending on where the are located in the body (Page 45). Within the cells, there are genetic switches that turn on and off the use of certain genes (Page 46). These genetic switches could have played a very important role in the genes that caused the development of the fish fin. With little changes over a long period of time, these genetic switches could have been the cause of the development of the human hand (Page 47).

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In the recent years, there has been an increase of invasive species in Florida such as the Burmese phyton. These reptiles are initially from Southeast Asia but due to the irresponsibility of some pet owners, they have started to invade Florida specifically in the Everglades. So far, an alarming amount counting in the hundreds have been captured in the Everglades National Park, showing how important it is to keep their population under control and from wreaking havoc. Known for consuming birds and small mammals, they show an immense effect on the local ecosystem. Authorities have hired hunters and even started annual manhunt events for these pests.

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962 Words | 4 Pages

Each living cell in the human body has a nucleus with 23 pairs of chromosomes inside it. In each pair of chromosomes, one chromosome comes from the father and one from the mother. Each chromosome carries units of inheritance known as genes and these genes interact to create a new set of instructions for making a new person. Genes are made of a substance called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The DNA contains the instructions for producing proteins; it is these proteins that regulate the development of a human being.

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1073 Words | 5 Pages

The Eugenics Movement began when Francis Galton wanted to explore if society and culture in a country would excel if the powerful, distinguished genes were to be passed down. Through his theories, he wanted to prove that the human race can be more intelligent and stronger. The overall goal was for those genes to be passed down through generations overtime. Francis Galton was half cousins with Charles

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The epiphany arose when I read the textbook because World War II was a racist and anti- Semitic movement, where the manipulation of eugenics began. H.H. Goddard, an American psychologist used eugenics through the American immigration system in the 1920s. Goddard tried to measure intelligence on the entrance of immigrants to America. He restricted certain types of people and tried to conserve nativism, which is preserving the certain land from people who are different.

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Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be defined as organisms (i.e. plants, animals or microorganisms) in which the genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/or natural recombination. Genetically modifying an organism involves inserting genes from

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235 Words | 1 Pages

Epigenetics explains how the environment effects our genes. It also shows how genetics work and how it could be altered. Epigenetics could explain how quantity and quality of food effects our body. The environment can affect us such as the community that people live in. In the movie, the Dutch community had their food supplies cut off from the Germans, which had a huge impact on the community and the future.

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The examples I listed about how certain ways genetic conditions may change the way we are born can actually be traced back to actual people and their real life stories about their conditions as you read further on. One of the many conditions that can result from a genetic mistake is the way we seem to grow as opposed to others. One of the few people with this condition is 7 year old Nell. When Nell was born her parents knew that something was wrong with her because she was growing at a rapid pace. As the years went by, they for sure knew that something was

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According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, eugenics is: “a science that deals with the improvement (as by control of human mating) of hereditary qualities of a race or breed”. ("Definition of Eugenics by Merriam-Webster") The most common example of this concept would be the Holocaust, which was the extermination of Jewish people and others deemed “unfit” for society in World War Ⅱ. But little do many know, the Nazi’s were not the only people practicing eugenics in the early 1900’s, eugenics was being practiced in the United States long before the Holocaust. The American Eugenics Society aimed to educate American people on the science of Eugenics.

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This article attempts to form the basis of the discourse community by explaining the basic concept of “heredity”(Genetics), and “chromosomes”(Genetics). Back in the 1920s, genetics was a fairly new subject and very few people knew about it. It was important for the author to establish vocabulary which would be useful for future analysis in the field of genetics. The purpose of this article was to introduce the industry and gain audience rather than analyzing specific research. It was much more generalized in its formative years, after which it started zeroing in on particular

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The idea that intelligence was genetic and there were genetic differences between different groups of people further separated people, and limited their educational proficiencies. The movement

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Eugenics The term eugenics was coined in 1883 by Francis Galton. He defined it as the study of “the conditions under which men of a high type are produced” and also as “the science which deals with all influences that improve the inborn qualities of a race”. However, it is not just a field of study and, could be taken as a social movement or policy as well. “Eugenics” may refer to the theory that infers hereditable intelligence and fortune which are possessed by the wealthy, successful and intelligent were made as a result of their good selective breeding, and that the lower classes would remain so because they continued to breed with other poor people from lower social classes or casts. Eugenics could be popular amongst people with a vested

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584 Words | 3 Pages

Epigenetics is the study of how some circumstances in life can cause genes to be either turned on or turned off. Circumstances like where one lives, teratogens (environmental toxins) (Siegler et al., 2014), or what one eats can potentially cause modifications to the genes that either turn on or off specific genes over a period of time. In other words, people often think their “fixed” a birth, however experiences play a vital role in gene expression. Epigenetics can affect development because depending on one’s life experiences it can change the course for better or worse.

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Example: Some examples of nature or heredity could be; • Height • Behavior • IQ The fact that nature had a great impact on child’s development can be elucidated in the studies of twin. Flanagen (2002) explored the Minnesota study in which a set of identical twins were brought up separately. In one case, a set of identical twins was raised apart, known as Jim twins.

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