16. Epigenetics of germline and epigenetic memory

In previous chapters, various existing mechanisms of epigenetic modifications, such as imprinting, gene silencing, control over transposon activity, and several other related processes were described, and their roles in the functioning of the cell were explained. The most controversial concepts in this area of research, which still remain difficult to test experimentally, are the existence of epigenetic memory and the mechanism of occurrence of transgenerational changes in response to environmental stimuli. The epigenetic memory is the transmission of information across generations through changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications, and small RNAs. Epigenetic marks can be transferred from ...

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