At The Scientist: “In a study published February 7 in Cell, a group of scientists tracked an engineered epigenetic mutation across four generations of lab-bred mice, finding evidence of the alteration in each of the subsequent generations. These alterations seemingly resurfaced even after the epigenetic wipe. “
Epigenetics
Epigenetics: Editing epigenome decreased alcoholism in rats
Epigenetics chips away at the Darwinian edifice in the sense that the question of whether one “inherits” a tendency to drink too much alcohol may be obviated if epigenetics change cements the tendency long after fertilization.
Epigenetics and plant psychology: They show “scents of alarm” ;)
Researchers: Prior studies have shown that when grown near mint plants, soybean and field mustard (Brassica rapa) plants display heightened defense properties against herbivore pests by activating defense genes in their leaves, as a result of “eavesdropping” on mint volatiles. Put simply, if mint leaves get damaged after a herbivore attack, the plants in their immediate vicinity respond by activating their anti-herbivore defense systems in response to the chemical signals released by the damaged mint plant.
Epigenetics: Pollution effects persist for many generations in water fleas
Well, that’s revealing, isn’t it? The evolutionary biologist admits that epigenetics is controversial, not because it can’t be demonstrated (it can) but because it provides competition for “traditional Darwinian inheritance.”
Here’s a new short on epigenetics
A short movie which describes why the identical twins Lucky Lyle and Troubled Tim end up with totally different personalities. Is it environment or genetics? Or perhaps both?
Memory transfer documented in animals
The epigenetic ability to transfer memories intergenerationally is — when documented — much more informative than stupid Darwinian claims about “natural selection acting on random mutation” that somehow brings about this specific result with no information content.
Epigenetics: Biologists discover 71 new “imprinted” genes in the mouse genome
Researchers: Scientists have yet to work out how one parental version of a given gene can be switched (or faded) on or off and maintained that way while the other is in the opposite state. It is known that much of the on/off switching occurs during the formation of gametes (sperm and egg), but the precise mechanisms remain unclear. This new study points to the intriguing possibility that some imprinted genes may not be marked in gametes, but become active later in development, or even in adulthood.
Central Dogma: Reasons for Further Thought
For about a year now, from reading various news items on newly published science articles, I’ve begun to consider not DNA, but RNA, the real driver of life. I think that DNA’s essential role is that of information storage–a hard drive, while RNA is like the BIOS system–it tells the “system” what it should be Read More…
At The Scientist: Trofim Lysenko and “stamping out science” Yes… yesterday. Sure. But what about today?
From this distance, to whatever extent Lysenko thought epigenetics was a feature of life forms, he was right. To whatever extent Darwinians opposed the idea, they were wrong. The rest is totalitarianism, whether of Lysenkoists or Darwinists. To get some idea how that sort of thing plays out today, consider the current COVID-19 debacle: The lab leak theory has always been a reasonable idea, not a conspiracy theory. Yet it was treated as a conspiracy theory for purely political reasons…
Closing in on how early life stress changes epigenetic markers
The good news from this mouse study is that if epigenetic stress is recognized, it can be reversed. That means, presumably, that it won’t be passed on: In a study published March 15 in Nature Neuroscience, researchers found that early-life stress in mice induces epigenetic changes in a particular type of neuron, which in turn Read More…
Epigenetics: What dad does comes out in offspring, researchers report
The researchers report that they are homing in on HOW non-DNA information travels in sperm.
More evidence of epigenetic control of genes
Epigenetics may play an important role in addiction and depression. Or, we hope, in fighting them.
(Reformed) New Scientist 4: There is more to inheritance than just genes
At New Scientist: “Subsequent studies in plants and animals suggest that epigenetic inheritance is more common than anyone had expected. Whatʼs more, compared with genetic inheritance, it has some big advantages. Environments can change rapidly and dramatically, but genetic mutations are random, so often require generations to take hold.” Just think, within a few years, genetics might start to make some sense.
You’ve got to hand it to the New Scientist gang; when they rethink, they really do.
Has the genetic code for mammals gained another letter?
Or is it epigenetics? At Science: “But even if the discovery is confirmed, Peng says he is leery of calling the modified adenine an addition to the genetic code. ‘Maybe [part] of the ‘epigenetic code’ instead?'”
Was Lamarck the “most unfairly treated” person in science history?
That’s the claim at RealClearScience and, wouldn’t you know, Darwin doubters are supposedly to blame.