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The Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology Is Rewriting Our Understanding of Genetics, Disease, and Inheritance by Nessa Carey
At the beginning of this century enormous progress had been made in genetics. The Human Genome Project finished sequencing human DNA. It seemed it was only a matter of time until we had all the answers to the secrets of life on this planet. The cutting-edge of biology, however, is telling us that we still don't even know all of the questions. How is it that, despite each cell in your body carrying exactly the same DNA, you don't have teeth growing out of your eyeballs or toenails on your liver? How is it that identical twins share exactly the same DNA and yet can exhibit dramatic differences in the way that they live and grow? It turns out that cells read the genetic code in DNA more like a script to be interpreted than a mould that replicates the same result each time. This is epigenetics and it's the fastest-moving field in biology today. The Epigenetics Revolution traces the thrilling path this discipline has taken over the last twenty years. Biologist Nessa Carey deftly explains such diverse phenomena as how queen bees and ants control their colonies, why tortoiseshell cats are always female, why some plants need a period of cold before they can flower, why we age, develop disease and become addicted to drugs, and much more. Most excitingly, Carey reveals the amazing possibilities for humankind that epigenetics offers for us all - and in the surprisingly near future.
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First published January 1, 2011
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About the author
Nessa Carey
15 books207 followersNessa Carey has a virology PhD from the University of Edinburgh and is a former Senior Lecturer in Molecular Biology at Imperial College, London. She worked in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry for thirteen years and now splits her professional time between providing consultancy services to some of the UK's leading research institutions, and training people around the world in how to create benefits for society from basic research. She lives in Norfolk and is a Visiting Professor at Imperial College.
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February 20, 2020
It seems to be time to rehabilitate Lamarck and Junk DNA.
As if the vagueness in the debate of the priority of genes or education was not complicated enough now, with the influence of technology, nutrition, mental health, and general living environment, a third pillar is added. How strong influences on human evolution will likely be is influenced by various factors, such as how active the genes are and how susceptible a human being is for the effects of education or the tribal culture around him.
In this young field of science, one can assume at the moment that almost everything has an influence. And yet it does not stagnates at just a few unique transcriptions, which remain constant until the end of life, instead the mutations are permanent and affect health, unborn children, personality, the future of humanity, etc.
Using the example of healthy or unhealthy lifestyles, one sees the influence more directly, manifested as illustrative material such as the damaged organs and minds. An unhealthy diet, overweight, lack of exercise and risk factors such as smoking, drinking and drug use similarly ruin the body as passive consumption and one-sided, monotonous activities, thoughts and opinions are reflected in the brain or what is left of it.
Exaggeratedly, one could define any consumption, activity, movement, and idea as potentially altering the genes. One forms accordingly with every conscious decision and concerning thinking and this raises the question of whether active or just mutating genes influence personality in which way. Whether happy genes in a stimulating environment bring positive epigenetic factors to the scene is such a consideration.
Regarding heredity, it is possible to rewrite the genes themselves. If one excessively consumes junk food for no reason and watches vast amounts of TV programs or excessively plays computer games, that could be given further to the next generation and laid in kids´ cradles.
The consequences of the consumption of various artificial, genetically modified substances and the uptake of environmental toxins is another matter. Until a few generations ago, people only consumed natural substances and this, for millions of years, well-functioning principle has been completely reversed, although the nutrients for maintaining the body stayed the same and hygiene has improved.
Also, because so much chemistry makes it ever more difficult for germs to settle. Strictly speaking, it´s dubious that the preservatives and other ingredients from the witch kitchens of the food industry indirectly act as pesticides and disinfectants.
But the concern is the deception of the body in addition to the unknown effects on health. The molecular structure resembles or equals that of real foods, but is often artificially manufactured for cost reasons. The body is deceived and incorporates these elements everywhere, as if you were using other, new building material for a structure and what effects it might have over the years, decades and generations and on genetic stability is an open question.
Also, many of the substances in the body interact with each other. In the stomach, for example, certain combinations of food additives and food chemistry cause unpredictable reactions and side effects. A few are already suspected of being harmful and carcinogenic and using this basic mixture, the body regenerates and rebuilds itself. As there are billions of possible combinations of additives, new substances are developed each day, and further long-term consequences can occur, the field is barely researched and will remain so for a long time due to lobbies and the extreme effort or even impossibility of research.
Electrosmog and other radiations, which could also act directly on the brain and the egg and sperm cells, could be intelligence-enhancing, dulling, or carcinogenic, nobody knows. Radiant that is strong enough to penetrate massive buildings and even finds someone in remote valleys, is shot through people's bodies for hours every day and the ammunition in form of bandwidth is getting stronger and stronger. At night, the phone is exactly at the brains´ height on the nightstand and over the day it´s right beside primary sexual characteristics and if one tends to have a WLAN or go outside the house, there is some more of it. It's just a gamble whether you become a telekinetically gifted Psimagus or a terminally ill person.
Proponents of genetic theory, as well as education experts, are critical of epigenetics for self-preservation reasons. It relativizes many school opinions and shows that the complexity is so high that one can not prioritize a cause or a fancy, self-made model. The new discipline also implies consequences for the medical and pharmaceutical industries, because the origins of many diseases and the reason for the effectiveness of medicines may have other causes than assumed. The funny thing is, we often give a pill the manufacturer doesn´t know about why it works, just that it does so.
Activities also shape people epigenetically. Eons of simple physical activity with the hands promoted brain development, blah blah, reading, and writing initiated another development spurt and at the moment, new and old media are shaping the priorities. As VR and AR will gain momentum over the course of the century, not just an alter ego on social networks will creep around in the net, but humans will be able to accept an alternative personality in a freely selectable universe that is indistinguishable from reality.
Now that´s a challenge for the membranes and many new brain specializations can arise in this way in addition to the reading area and the TV area, such as new zones for VR, social media with its possibilities for bipolarity or even multipolarity if one has more than one account, AR, brain-computer interfaces, and, for device (thought) control, using non-invasive and invasive methods and controlling the ever-expanding environmental intelligence.
Every new impression is food for the brain and its gene expressions and being able to live and work in several places at the same time, with different identities that fit each requirement, will further increase the potential. Look, we are doing it just now at this moment by already having added the work-, friend- and family self a fourth social media/gaming self that is epigeneticing around.
A wiki walk can be as refreshing to the mind as a walk through nature in this completely overrated real life outside books:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigene...
As if the vagueness in the debate of the priority of genes or education was not complicated enough now, with the influence of technology, nutrition, mental health, and general living environment, a third pillar is added. How strong influences on human evolution will likely be is influenced by various factors, such as how active the genes are and how susceptible a human being is for the effects of education or the tribal culture around him.
In this young field of science, one can assume at the moment that almost everything has an influence. And yet it does not stagnates at just a few unique transcriptions, which remain constant until the end of life, instead the mutations are permanent and affect health, unborn children, personality, the future of humanity, etc.
Using the example of healthy or unhealthy lifestyles, one sees the influence more directly, manifested as illustrative material such as the damaged organs and minds. An unhealthy diet, overweight, lack of exercise and risk factors such as smoking, drinking and drug use similarly ruin the body as passive consumption and one-sided, monotonous activities, thoughts and opinions are reflected in the brain or what is left of it.
Exaggeratedly, one could define any consumption, activity, movement, and idea as potentially altering the genes. One forms accordingly with every conscious decision and concerning thinking and this raises the question of whether active or just mutating genes influence personality in which way. Whether happy genes in a stimulating environment bring positive epigenetic factors to the scene is such a consideration.
Regarding heredity, it is possible to rewrite the genes themselves. If one excessively consumes junk food for no reason and watches vast amounts of TV programs or excessively plays computer games, that could be given further to the next generation and laid in kids´ cradles.
The consequences of the consumption of various artificial, genetically modified substances and the uptake of environmental toxins is another matter. Until a few generations ago, people only consumed natural substances and this, for millions of years, well-functioning principle has been completely reversed, although the nutrients for maintaining the body stayed the same and hygiene has improved.
Also, because so much chemistry makes it ever more difficult for germs to settle. Strictly speaking, it´s dubious that the preservatives and other ingredients from the witch kitchens of the food industry indirectly act as pesticides and disinfectants.
But the concern is the deception of the body in addition to the unknown effects on health. The molecular structure resembles or equals that of real foods, but is often artificially manufactured for cost reasons. The body is deceived and incorporates these elements everywhere, as if you were using other, new building material for a structure and what effects it might have over the years, decades and generations and on genetic stability is an open question.
Also, many of the substances in the body interact with each other. In the stomach, for example, certain combinations of food additives and food chemistry cause unpredictable reactions and side effects. A few are already suspected of being harmful and carcinogenic and using this basic mixture, the body regenerates and rebuilds itself. As there are billions of possible combinations of additives, new substances are developed each day, and further long-term consequences can occur, the field is barely researched and will remain so for a long time due to lobbies and the extreme effort or even impossibility of research.
Electrosmog and other radiations, which could also act directly on the brain and the egg and sperm cells, could be intelligence-enhancing, dulling, or carcinogenic, nobody knows. Radiant that is strong enough to penetrate massive buildings and even finds someone in remote valleys, is shot through people's bodies for hours every day and the ammunition in form of bandwidth is getting stronger and stronger. At night, the phone is exactly at the brains´ height on the nightstand and over the day it´s right beside primary sexual characteristics and if one tends to have a WLAN or go outside the house, there is some more of it. It's just a gamble whether you become a telekinetically gifted Psimagus or a terminally ill person.
Proponents of genetic theory, as well as education experts, are critical of epigenetics for self-preservation reasons. It relativizes many school opinions and shows that the complexity is so high that one can not prioritize a cause or a fancy, self-made model. The new discipline also implies consequences for the medical and pharmaceutical industries, because the origins of many diseases and the reason for the effectiveness of medicines may have other causes than assumed. The funny thing is, we often give a pill the manufacturer doesn´t know about why it works, just that it does so.
Activities also shape people epigenetically. Eons of simple physical activity with the hands promoted brain development, blah blah, reading, and writing initiated another development spurt and at the moment, new and old media are shaping the priorities. As VR and AR will gain momentum over the course of the century, not just an alter ego on social networks will creep around in the net, but humans will be able to accept an alternative personality in a freely selectable universe that is indistinguishable from reality.
Now that´s a challenge for the membranes and many new brain specializations can arise in this way in addition to the reading area and the TV area, such as new zones for VR, social media with its possibilities for bipolarity or even multipolarity if one has more than one account, AR, brain-computer interfaces, and, for device (thought) control, using non-invasive and invasive methods and controlling the ever-expanding environmental intelligence.
Every new impression is food for the brain and its gene expressions and being able to live and work in several places at the same time, with different identities that fit each requirement, will further increase the potential. Look, we are doing it just now at this moment by already having added the work-, friend- and family self a fourth social media/gaming self that is epigeneticing around.
A wiki walk can be as refreshing to the mind as a walk through nature in this completely overrated real life outside books:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigene...
August 21, 2015
Since the Watson-Crick model of our double helical structure DNA in 1953 and the foundations of the central dogma of molecular biology (DNA-RNA-protein) were established, major advances in genetics have taken place. In the year 2003, the Human Genome Project finished an accurate and complete sequence of the human genome which became available to scientists and researchers (and for you if you wish) to download at the NHGRI page. Knowledge of the complete sequence allows the identification of all human genes, the variation of such genes among different populations and provides a fundamental understanding of how our genome contribute to health and disease. Now, with the use of genetic engineering it is possible to produce insulin, EPO or monoclonal antibodies among other uses through gene modification. But with this genetic "revolution" taking place, have we finally deciphered who we are? Are we just the molecular result of the laws of heredity?
The mysteries of heredity have always fascinated scientists. Identical twins share the same genotype, the same womb and they are usually brought up in a very similar environment. So, if they share the same genetic code, how is it possible that they can become so different as they grow? Why are there differences in susceptibilities to mental diseases such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder? Although monozygotic twins share a common genotype, most MZ twin pairs are not identical, theres is a phenotypical discordance. Modern twin studies, are focusing now on showing the effect of a person's shared environment (family) vs. a unique environment (the individual events that shape a life) on a trait. According to the research by Esteller and Craig, it has been concluded that even genetically identical twins are epigenetically distinct at time of birth and these epigenetics differences become more pronounced with age and exposure to different environments.
So, how does environment plays a role in this differences? Why are some foods good for our health and why do others cause us disease? What is the impact of stress in our health? What role does environment play in cancer? Why is it that the older we get, we are more susceptible we are to develop certain diseases? Why do we age? Why and how does one of our X-chromosomes (in females obviously) becomes deactivated? What role does stress play in child development? So many debatable and interesting questions to solve.
Welcome to the fascinating world of EPIGENETICS!!! The debate where Nature vs Nurture takes place and become one.
Epigenetics is an emerging frontier of science that involves the study of changes in the regulation of gene activity and expression that are not dependent on gene sequence and it is in "The Epigenetics Revolution" by Nessa Carey where you will be introduced to a fantastic world of science in which you will learn if and how environment play a fundamental role in your genotype/phenotype.
Epigenetic mechanisms play a key role in regulating gene expression (by turning "off" and "on" genes) such as stable transcription complexes, modification of histones in chromatin, lysine acetylation and methylation of DNA. These are basic concepts you will read throughout the book in order to understand this fascinating field of study.
One hallmark of these modifications and probably the better understood so far is DNA methylation which affects your genome. Methylation simply means the addition of a methyl group at cytosine, which is the only of the four DNA bases that gets methylated and more specifically at the C's that preced G's in the DNA chain and form what we refer to as CpG dinucleotides or "islands" when there are high concentrations. Once DNA is methylated it bind to a protein called MeCP2, then these methyl groups turn genes off by affecting interactions between DNA and the cell's protein-making machinery such as gene promoters, transposons and imprinting control regions. In the following picture you can see how MeCP2 binds to a gene promoter attracting other proteins to help switch the gene off:
One of these important regulatory roles of DNA methylation is genomic imprinting. Imprinting is a normal process caused by alterations in chromatin that occur in the germline of one parent, but not the other, at characteristic locations in the genome. A process that takes place during gametogenesis and persists postnatally into adulthood through hundreds of cells divisions so that only one maternal or paternal copy of the gene is expressed. Once again, imprinting affects the expression of a gene but not its primary DNA sequence. You will also have a voyage in the world of imprinting disorders such as Prader-Willi, Angelman Syndrome, Silver-Russell syndrome and Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome among other essential ones. If you are a doctor, you will enjoy it as a good refresher.
The second kind of epigenetic mark, called histone modification, indirectly affects the DNA in your genome. Histones are spool-like proteins that enable DNA's very long molecules to be wound up neatly into chromosomes inside the cell nucleus. A variety of chemical tags can grab hold of the tails of histones, changing how tightly or loosely they package DNA. If the wrapping is tight, a gene may be hidden from the cell's protein-making machinery, and consequently be switched off. In contrast, if the wrapping is loosened, a gene that was formerly hidden may be turned on. The following image is a representation of a core nucleosome with its respective histones and around 200 base pairs:
Why is epigenetics important to you? Why does it matters? According to the NHGRI: "Lifestyle and environmental factors can expose a person to chemical tags that change the epigenome. In other words, your epigenome may change based on what you eat and drink, whether you smoke, what medicines you take, what pollutants you encounter and even how quickly your body ages. There is also some evidence from animal and human studies that indicates that what a female eats and drinks during pregnancy may change the epigenome of her offspring.Most epigenomic changes are probably harmless, but some changes may trigger or increase the severity of disease. Researchers already have linked changes in the epigenome to various cancers, diabetes, autoimmune diseases and mental illnesses."
As you can see, Epigenetics is an area of increasing importance in human and medical genetics with significant influences on gene expression and phenotype, both in normal individuals and in a variety of disorders. The author does a wonderful work, in explaining the basic concepts of this field in science including molecular mechanisms involved, essential genes and syndromes seen in medical genetics as well as a wonderful tribute to the work of various scientists (from Gregor Mendel's laws of inheritance to Shinya Yamanaka's stem cell research) involved in what we understand today regarding genetics.
If you are familiar with the terms and this field of study, perhaps you will find the same information as other books or publications as you will go over the typical examples like the agouti mouse experiments, the classic Dutch famine and its correlation with obessity, the epigenetics of the royal jelly, etc... but I think is still enjoyable to re-read if you love the topic. For this reason I give a 4star, much of the information I was already familiar with. Besides, she did not mention the work of the Nobel laureates Barbara McClintock or Paul Berg which I consider essential here.
It is a book good enough for anyone with the desire to learn and perhaps and opportunity to impress your science literate friends next time they speak of epigenetics! Jump in and learn more about this amazing field!
For more information please visit:
- National Human Genome Research Institute: http://www.genome.gov/
- OMIM (Online Mendelian Inheritance of Men) Which is an Online Catalog of Human Genes and Genetic Disorders: http://omim.org/.
March 5, 2014
Nessa Carey is an active researcher, and an excellent writer. She explains cogently why there certainly is a "revolution" occurring now in genetics, and gives us a very good introductory guide to the subject of epigenetics. There is much more to genetic inheritance than simply the "DNA" that is found in our cells. Carey shows many examples of epigenetics at work. One very basic example is the fact that despite every cell nucleus having "identical" DNA, our cells specialize for each organ in the body.
Carey explains how epigenetics works at the molecular level. I must admit, that with all the technical terminology and codes for different molecules, I did not follow all of the details. However, Carey gets the essence of the mechanisms across very clearly, using a combination of schematic (simplified) diagrams, and an array of useful metaphors. The first metaphor she introduces is of a ball rolling downhill into one of a number of troughs, which represents the "epigenetic landscape". This metaphor is brought up again and again throughout the book, and helps the layman visualize cellular development. Another metaphor is of a play that uses the same script in each production, but in the hands of different directors comes out differently each time.
Carey has a gentle sense of humor, and it shows up in an introductory quote at the beginning of each chapter. For example, in chapter 6 she writes,
Carey shows off some of her experience in the pharmaceutical industry. She notes the progress and tribulations that the industry has had, in taking advantage of new frontiers in epigenetics. This book is an engaging look at the frontiers of a hot research area. I learned a lot about questions that conventional genetics cannot begin to get a handle on, lots of issues that were sort of "swept under the rug." At the end of the book, Carey makes some bold predictions for the future of epigenetics. Fascinating!
Carey explains how epigenetics works at the molecular level. I must admit, that with all the technical terminology and codes for different molecules, I did not follow all of the details. However, Carey gets the essence of the mechanisms across very clearly, using a combination of schematic (simplified) diagrams, and an array of useful metaphors. The first metaphor she introduces is of a ball rolling downhill into one of a number of troughs, which represents the "epigenetic landscape". This metaphor is brought up again and again throughout the book, and helps the layman visualize cellular development. Another metaphor is of a play that uses the same script in each production, but in the hands of different directors comes out differently each time.
Carey has a gentle sense of humor, and it shows up in an introductory quote at the beginning of each chapter. For example, in chapter 6 she writes,
Nobody will ever win the Battle of the Sexes. There's just too much fraternising with the enemy. --Henry Kissinger.The subtitles in each of the chapters also bring a touch of humor, are engaging and are completely appropriate. For example, Miracle mice on YouTube, Re-installing the operating system, You put your imprint on, you take your imprint off ..., Women really are more complicated than men, and Guilt by association.
Carey shows off some of her experience in the pharmaceutical industry. She notes the progress and tribulations that the industry has had, in taking advantage of new frontiers in epigenetics. This book is an engaging look at the frontiers of a hot research area. I learned a lot about questions that conventional genetics cannot begin to get a handle on, lots of issues that were sort of "swept under the rug." At the end of the book, Carey makes some bold predictions for the future of epigenetics. Fascinating!
October 15, 2011
There have been lots of popular science books about genetics and evolution, and that's fine - but there really hasn't been anywhere near enough coverage of epigenetics, which is why Nessa Carey's book is so welcome. Over the last 30 years or so it has become increasingly obvious that the idea of genes coding for proteins - the basic concept of genetics - is only a starting point for the way DNA acts to provide control software for the body's development. There is also RNA that is coded by 'junk' DNA and the way genes can be switched on and off by various external factors - all together this is far more than genetics alone. This is epigenetics.
Without doubt this is a fascinating subject, and Carey provides plenty of examples of how epigenetics effects our development, our diseases and the way we inherit characteristics. I was genuinely surprised and delighted by many of the revelations. This is really significant stuff, that hasn't made its way into many of the popular science genetics titles. What's more Carey's style is highly approachable and readable. I was convinced part way through the book that this was going to be a five star, top book.
To be honest, the only reason it's not five star is the nature of the beast. (Okay, I did find Carey's hero worship of a handful of key biologists a little irritating, but that wouldn't have influenced the rating.) I'm reminded of Richard Feynman's comment when studying biology because his physics work wasn't taking up enough of his time. He was giving a presentation to his classmates, I think on the nervous system of a cat, and started by drawing a 'map' of the cat and giving the names of all the relevant components. He was told he didn't need to tell them all these names, because they were required to learn them. No wonder, concluded Feynman, it took so long to get a biology degree - so much of it was memorizing names, unlike physics, which was much about working out what was happening and required relatively little memorizing.
What I found in Carey's book was I was getting swamped with all the names of different genes and proteins and goodness knows whats. Some of the pages are dense with these, and after a while I found my eyes bouncing off them. I'd rather she had told us a lot fewer names (you can always, as Feynman pointed out, look them up) and concentrated on the processes and understanding of what's happening. But, as I say, this is not so much her fault as the nature of biology.
Overall, then, despite occasional parts you might find yourself skipping through, this is a truly eye-opening and exciting book on an important and under-reported topic. For some reason so many books on human biology concentrate on emotions and morality and other aspects on the edge of brain science - it was great to find a book that really took us back to basics, but in a new way.
Review originally published on www.popularscience.co.uk - reproduced with permission
Without doubt this is a fascinating subject, and Carey provides plenty of examples of how epigenetics effects our development, our diseases and the way we inherit characteristics. I was genuinely surprised and delighted by many of the revelations. This is really significant stuff, that hasn't made its way into many of the popular science genetics titles. What's more Carey's style is highly approachable and readable. I was convinced part way through the book that this was going to be a five star, top book.
To be honest, the only reason it's not five star is the nature of the beast. (Okay, I did find Carey's hero worship of a handful of key biologists a little irritating, but that wouldn't have influenced the rating.) I'm reminded of Richard Feynman's comment when studying biology because his physics work wasn't taking up enough of his time. He was giving a presentation to his classmates, I think on the nervous system of a cat, and started by drawing a 'map' of the cat and giving the names of all the relevant components. He was told he didn't need to tell them all these names, because they were required to learn them. No wonder, concluded Feynman, it took so long to get a biology degree - so much of it was memorizing names, unlike physics, which was much about working out what was happening and required relatively little memorizing.
What I found in Carey's book was I was getting swamped with all the names of different genes and proteins and goodness knows whats. Some of the pages are dense with these, and after a while I found my eyes bouncing off them. I'd rather she had told us a lot fewer names (you can always, as Feynman pointed out, look them up) and concentrated on the processes and understanding of what's happening. But, as I say, this is not so much her fault as the nature of biology.
Overall, then, despite occasional parts you might find yourself skipping through, this is a truly eye-opening and exciting book on an important and under-reported topic. For some reason so many books on human biology concentrate on emotions and morality and other aspects on the edge of brain science - it was great to find a book that really took us back to basics, but in a new way.
Review originally published on www.popularscience.co.uk - reproduced with permission
September 27, 2016
Carey explains how epigenetics makes two people different who have exactly the same genes. Take her example of the identical twin with schizophrenia. One might think if one identical twin has schizophrenia, the other one will. Not necessarily, only a 50% chance. But if not due to genes why is the chance so high given only 1% or fewer occurrences in the population as a whole. The difference is due to epigenetics.
Epigenetics operates through mechanisms that alter the expression of a gene without changing its structure. Methylation can shut down a gene entirely. Acetylation of the histone that packages DNA can ramp up gene expression. As Carey drills down the processes become increasingly complex and unclear since much is still not understood. There are hundreds of proteins that write, read or erase epigenetic codes each with their own specialization. For example, genes may code for proteins that promote or inhibit say depression or anxiety. Then there are enzymes and RNAs that directly up or down regulate those genes. Then these enzymes and RNAs are in turn up or down regulated by other enzymes and RNAs. All of these molecules are manufactured in processes subject to similar scenarios. The process is so intertwined that it boggles the mind. The discussion made me wonder how anything so intricate could ever work, but indeed it does, most of the time.
Much of this activity is controlled by our so called “junk” DNA which does not code for proteins. For example the retrotransposons are DNA segments that code for RNA that can methylate genes. Methylation is critical to our development. By turning off some genes it ensures each cell performs only its specialized function. We don’t want our heart cells making liver enzymes or brain cells beating like our heart. Other parts of our “junk” DNA code for microRNA that regulate messenger RNA. Messenger RNA carries the DNA instructions to the ribosome where proteins are assembled. Humans have extensive microRNA editing capabilities that even our closest relatives, the chimpanzees, lack. This ability to fine tune microRNA is particularly evidenced in our brain cells. Epigenetics is an important part of what makes us human.
Epigenetic effects can be passed on to offspring. Environment affects epigenetic processes turning off or ramping up genes with methyl and acetyl groups. These changes are mostly BUT NOT COMPLETELY wiped clean in the fertilized egg. The epigenetic process then begins anew differentiating the cells as the embryo forms. Carey points to the Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944/45 to show how body size and weight of offspring were affected based on whether malnutrition occurred in the first or third trimester of pregnancy. The upshot is that some effects still showed up in the grandchildren!
Cancer can be caused by mutations or by tumor suppressor genes that are epigenetically damped down. In fact suppressor genes seem to be more targeted than tumor growth genes. Suppressor genes can become so compacted from methylation that the cell enters a stem cell state dividing nonstop. Molecules such as microRNAs that inhibit epigenetic enzymes can get caught in positive feedback loops reducing their own numbers and throwing gene regulation out of control.
Epigenetic solutions to preventing cancer include inhibiting DNMT which adds methyl groups and HDAC which removes acetyl groups to prevent methylation and promote acetylation thus turning on or dialing up the activity of tumor suppressor genes. Drugs are approved that do this and work well for some blood cancers but not solid tumors. The ability to deliver these drugs in the amount needed at the place needed is a limiting factor. These drugs affect many genes at once often with severe side effects. So targeting more specific epigenetic enzymes will be necessary.
Carey goes on to discuss epigenetics as a factor in mental illnesses and aging. She cautiously offers hope for the future but there a lot of layers to work through. While the complexity of epigenetics makes these problems extremely difficult to solve, our understanding of epigenetics makes solutions possible. We will see much more medical research based on epigenetics. It’s the old saw, the more we know, the more we realize we don’t.
Carey’s book opened up a whole new world to me. For those with an interest in how our genome works, this is a very worthwhile read. It can get quite detailed, but it doesn’t overwhelm. I look forward to reading about many exciting discoveries in this groundbreaking field and now I can appreciate at least some of what it means.
Epigenetics operates through mechanisms that alter the expression of a gene without changing its structure. Methylation can shut down a gene entirely. Acetylation of the histone that packages DNA can ramp up gene expression. As Carey drills down the processes become increasingly complex and unclear since much is still not understood. There are hundreds of proteins that write, read or erase epigenetic codes each with their own specialization. For example, genes may code for proteins that promote or inhibit say depression or anxiety. Then there are enzymes and RNAs that directly up or down regulate those genes. Then these enzymes and RNAs are in turn up or down regulated by other enzymes and RNAs. All of these molecules are manufactured in processes subject to similar scenarios. The process is so intertwined that it boggles the mind. The discussion made me wonder how anything so intricate could ever work, but indeed it does, most of the time.
Much of this activity is controlled by our so called “junk” DNA which does not code for proteins. For example the retrotransposons are DNA segments that code for RNA that can methylate genes. Methylation is critical to our development. By turning off some genes it ensures each cell performs only its specialized function. We don’t want our heart cells making liver enzymes or brain cells beating like our heart. Other parts of our “junk” DNA code for microRNA that regulate messenger RNA. Messenger RNA carries the DNA instructions to the ribosome where proteins are assembled. Humans have extensive microRNA editing capabilities that even our closest relatives, the chimpanzees, lack. This ability to fine tune microRNA is particularly evidenced in our brain cells. Epigenetics is an important part of what makes us human.
Epigenetic effects can be passed on to offspring. Environment affects epigenetic processes turning off or ramping up genes with methyl and acetyl groups. These changes are mostly BUT NOT COMPLETELY wiped clean in the fertilized egg. The epigenetic process then begins anew differentiating the cells as the embryo forms. Carey points to the Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944/45 to show how body size and weight of offspring were affected based on whether malnutrition occurred in the first or third trimester of pregnancy. The upshot is that some effects still showed up in the grandchildren!
Cancer can be caused by mutations or by tumor suppressor genes that are epigenetically damped down. In fact suppressor genes seem to be more targeted than tumor growth genes. Suppressor genes can become so compacted from methylation that the cell enters a stem cell state dividing nonstop. Molecules such as microRNAs that inhibit epigenetic enzymes can get caught in positive feedback loops reducing their own numbers and throwing gene regulation out of control.
Epigenetic solutions to preventing cancer include inhibiting DNMT which adds methyl groups and HDAC which removes acetyl groups to prevent methylation and promote acetylation thus turning on or dialing up the activity of tumor suppressor genes. Drugs are approved that do this and work well for some blood cancers but not solid tumors. The ability to deliver these drugs in the amount needed at the place needed is a limiting factor. These drugs affect many genes at once often with severe side effects. So targeting more specific epigenetic enzymes will be necessary.
Carey goes on to discuss epigenetics as a factor in mental illnesses and aging. She cautiously offers hope for the future but there a lot of layers to work through. While the complexity of epigenetics makes these problems extremely difficult to solve, our understanding of epigenetics makes solutions possible. We will see much more medical research based on epigenetics. It’s the old saw, the more we know, the more we realize we don’t.
Carey’s book opened up a whole new world to me. For those with an interest in how our genome works, this is a very worthwhile read. It can get quite detailed, but it doesn’t overwhelm. I look forward to reading about many exciting discoveries in this groundbreaking field and now I can appreciate at least some of what it means.
October 7, 2025
يتكون جسم الإنسان من خمسين تريليون (التريليون=ألف مليار) خلية، ولو علمنا أن كل خلية بها الحمض النووي نفسه، أي أن كل خلية تحتوي على جميع الجينات، فلماذا مثلا لا تنبت لنا أسناناً في عيوننا رغم أن بها الجينات المسؤولة عن تصنيع الأسنان؟ ولماذا لا تفرز أيادينا عصارة هضمية بدلا من العرق؟ لقد اتضح أن الجينات التي نوعز إليها كل شيء ليست كل شيء، بل هي مجرد "مستوى" من مستويات الوراثة. أما المستوى الأعلى الذي يتحكم في إطفاء الجينات أو تشغيلها فيتكون من علامات "فوق" جينية، وهذا ما يستكشفه علم كامل اسمه علم الوراثة فوق الجينية.
تجعلك "الوراثة فوق الجينية" تدرك كم أوتينا من العلم قليلاً، فبعد أن استقر لدى العلماء منذ اكتشاف الحمض النووي "DNA" أن جيناتنا هي الشفرة الوراثية الوحيدة المسؤولة عن كل شيء في أجسامنا، وعن أمراضنا وصحتنا، اتضح أن الجينات لا تمثل سوى الطبقة الأولى فقط من الشفرة الوراثية، وأن هناك طبقة أخرى فوقها، شفرة مختلفة تماما، تتحكم في تثبيط أو تحفيز الجينات.
تخيلوا؟ مستوى مختلف ومعقد من الشفرة الوراثية تأخذ شكل علامات فوقية "tags" على طول شريط الحمض النووي بحيث توجِّه وتُرشِد الشفرة التحتية "الجينات". ومن يدري، ربما يكتشفون شفرة تعلو كليهما تنظم بدورها وظائفهما.
تُظهر الصورة الحمض النووي كالخيط الملفوف حول بروتينات (الكرات البرتقالية) تسمى الهيستونات "histones"، بينما تُعَلِّم البطاقات الحمراء (العلامات فوق الجينية) أماكن محددة على الخيط أو الهيستونات لتنظيم عملية التعبير الجيني - gene expression
ولو تأملنا الكائنات حولنا، لوجدنا أن الوراثة فوق الجينية ملاصقة لنا إلى حد مدهش؛ نلاحظ بشكل يومي ظواهر دون أن نعلم أنها السبب الخفي وراء هذه الظواهر. فمثلا عبر أطوار نموها المختلفة، يتغير شكل الفراشة بشكل جذري من يرقة لشرنقة لفراشة بالغة جميلة، فهل نتصور أن الفراشة في كل طور تغير جيناتها وفقاً لاحتياجات كل مرحلة؟ أبداً، تبقى جينات الفراشة كما هي، ما يتغير هو موضع ونوع العلامات فوق الجينية التي تقوم في بداية كل مرحلة بإطفاء جينات المرحلة السابقة وتشغيل جينات المرحلة الجديدة وهكذا. لا يحدث هذا في الفراشات فحسب، بل في الكثير من الكائنات الحية. كيف يتم تفعيل هذه البرمجة فوق الجينية مع كل مرحلة نمو؟ هذا ما لم يكتشفه العلماء حتى الآن. وإذا أخذنا في الاعتبار المثال السابق، لن نتعجب أن بداية هذا العلم كانت مرتبطة بعلم الأجنة، لأن تعاقب الأطوار الجنينية من طور لآخر، وتمايز ونشأة الأنسجة والأعضاء من نفس الخلايا، يحتاج لتشغيل وإطفاء جينات بعينها كما فهمنا.
يبقى أن نعلم أن عملية وضع العلامات أو إزالتها من أعقد ما يكون، حيث تتضافر فيها العديد من الإنزيمات والجينات بشكل محكم. مثال ذلك عملية إزهار بذور بعض النباتات صيفاً وليس شتاءً. لنتابع هذه السلسلة المعقدة:
١. يبرد الجو
٢. تصنع النباتات بروتين معين استجابةً لهذه البرودة
٣. يضع البروتين علامات فوق الجين المسؤول عن العامل المساعد على تفعيل الإنبات فيغطيه
٤. يُثبَّط هذا الجين
٥. لا يتم الإنبات
وتنعكس هذه العملية في الصيف.
هل يمكن لعملية التطور العمياء أن تُخرِج إلى الوجود نظام محكم ومعقد وغير قابل للاختزال مثل هذا النظام؟ هل نتصور أن ينشأ هذا النظام تدريجياً نتيجة لتراكم طفرات عشوائية وتجارب المحاولة والخطأ التطورية على مدار ملايين السنين؟ علماً بأنه حتي البكتيريا التي نقع في أسفل شجرة الحياة كما يعتبرون، مزَوّدَة بشكل من أشكال هذه العلامات فوق الجينية.
أما الأمر العجيب حقاً أن العادات الغذائية تتحكم بشكل كبير في الوراثة الفوق جينية! تم اكتشاف ذلك العديد من الكائنات، ولعل النحل من أكثر الأمثلة غرابة. وجد العلماء أن ملكة النحل والنحلات العاملات متطابقات جينياً كالتوائم المتماثلة رغم اختلافهم في كل شيء، فالملكة هي الأنثى الوحيدة التي تضع البيض، بينما العاملات إناث عقيمة تؤدي المهام في الخلية. فإذا لم تكن الجينات سبب الاختلاف فما السبب؟ اتضح أن غذاء ملكات النحل الذي يعطى ليرقات بعينها في مرحلة النمو، يوجِّه نموها لتصبح ملكة، بينما اليرقات التي لا يضاف لها هذا الغذاء تنمو لتصبح نحلات عاملات! ووجد العلماء تأثير مماثل للغذاء على هذا النوع من الوراثة في البشر أيضاً.
صورة توضح الفرق الذي يصنعه غذاء ملكات النحل في مصير اليرقات
الكتاب من أهم الكتب العلمية التي قرأتها، ممتلئ لآخره بالوظائف والأدوار التي تضطلع بها الوراثة فوق الجينية "epigenetics" والتي تم اكتشافها في النباتات والحشرات والحيوان والإنسان، هذا لأن هذه الشفرة الوراثية هي الأخرى موجودة ومنتشرة في كثير من المخلوقات تماما كالشفرة الجينية المُوحَّدة الموجودة بحروفها الأربع (A, G, T, C) في جميع المخلوقات.
بذلت الكاتبة مجهوداً واضحاً في تغطية كل النقاط المتعلقة بموضوع "الوراثة فوق الچينية" باستفاضة تُحسد عليها، مما جعل الكتاب سيرة حياة لهذا الموضوع الشيق. إنه كتاب شامل بالفعل، لكن المشكلة أن غير المتخصص سيجد صعوبة بسبب استعراض تفاصيل التفاعلات الكيميائية والإنزيمات أثناء شرح تثبيط أو تحفيز الجينات.
أخيراً، أتمنى أن تقوم مؤلفة الكتاب بتأليف جزء ثانٍ لتستعرض الجديد في هذا العلم بعد مرور أكثر من عشر سنوات على نشر الكتاب.
(تحديث: شاهدت مؤخراً وثائقياً بعنوان "جيناتنا مفتاح هويتنا"، استعرض معلومات عن الوراثة فوق الچينية تكاد تكون متطابقة مع بعض أبواب الكتاب إلا أنه ترجمها إلى "الوراثة اللاچينية"، أو "اللاچينوم" بما أنها لا تتعلق بالچينات. شعرت أن هذه الترجمة غير دقيقة، فمن يدري؟ قد يتم اكتشاف شفرة وراثية لاچينية مختلفة في المستقبل).
تجعلك "الوراثة فوق الجينية" تدرك كم أوتينا من العلم قليلاً، فبعد أن استقر لدى العلماء منذ اكتشاف الحمض النووي "DNA" أن جيناتنا هي الشفرة الوراثية الوحيدة المسؤولة عن كل شيء في أجسامنا، وعن أمراضنا وصحتنا، اتضح أن الجينات لا تمثل سوى الطبقة الأولى فقط من الشفرة الوراثية، وأن هناك طبقة أخرى فوقها، شفرة مختلفة تماما، تتحكم في تثبيط أو تحفيز الجينات.
تخيلوا؟ مستوى مختلف ومعقد من الشفرة الوراثية تأخذ شكل علامات فوقية "tags" على طول شريط الحمض النووي بحيث توجِّه وتُرشِد الشفرة التحتية "الجينات". ومن يدري، ربما يكتشفون شفرة تعلو كليهما تنظم بدورها وظائفهما.
تُظهر الصورة الحمض النووي كالخيط الملفوف حول بروتينات (الكرات البرتقالية) تسمى الهيستونات "histones"، بينما تُعَلِّم البطاقات الحمراء (العلامات فوق الجينية) أماكن محددة على الخيط أو الهيستونات لتنظيم عملية التعبير الجيني - gene expression
ولو تأملنا الكائنات حولنا، لوجدنا أن الوراثة فوق الجينية ملاصقة لنا إلى حد مدهش؛ نلاحظ بشكل يومي ظواهر دون أن نعلم أنها السبب الخفي وراء هذه الظواهر. فمثلا عبر أطوار نموها المختلفة، يتغير شكل الفراشة بشكل جذري من يرقة لشرنقة لفراشة بالغة جميلة، فهل نتصور أن الفراشة في كل طور تغير جيناتها وفقاً لاحتياجات كل مرحلة؟ أبداً، تبقى جينات الفراشة كما هي، ما يتغير هو موضع ونوع العلامات فوق الجينية التي تقوم في بداية كل مرحلة بإطفاء جينات المرحلة السابقة وتشغيل جينات المرحلة الجديدة وهكذا. لا يحدث هذا في الفراشات فحسب، بل في الكثير من الكائنات الحية. كيف يتم تفعيل هذه البرمجة فوق الجينية مع كل مرحلة نمو؟ هذا ما لم يكتشفه العلماء حتى الآن. وإذا أخذنا في الاعتبار المثال السابق، لن نتعجب أن بداية هذا العلم كانت مرتبطة بعلم الأجنة، لأن تعاقب الأطوار الجنينية من طور لآخر، وتمايز ونشأة الأنسجة والأعضاء من نفس الخلايا، يحتاج لتشغيل وإطفاء جينات بعينها كما فهمنا.
يبقى أن نعلم أن عملية وضع العلامات أو إزالتها من أعقد ما يكون، حيث تتضافر فيها العديد من الإنزيمات والجينات بشكل محكم. مثال ذلك عملية إزهار بذور بعض النباتات صيفاً وليس شتاءً. لنتابع هذه السلسلة المعقدة:
١. يبرد الجو
٢. تصنع النباتات بروتين معين استجابةً لهذه البرودة
٣. يضع البروتين علامات فوق الجين المسؤول عن العامل المساعد على تفعيل الإنبات فيغطيه
٤. يُثبَّط هذا الجين
٥. لا يتم الإنبات
وتنعكس هذه العملية في الصيف.
هل يمكن لعملية التطور العمياء أن تُخرِج إلى الوجود نظام محكم ومعقد وغير قابل للاختزال مثل هذا النظام؟ هل نتصور أن ينشأ هذا النظام تدريجياً نتيجة لتراكم طفرات عشوائية وتجارب المحاولة والخطأ التطورية على مدار ملايين السنين؟ علماً بأنه حتي البكتيريا التي نقع في أسفل شجرة الحياة كما يعتبرون، مزَوّدَة بشكل من أشكال هذه العلامات فوق الجينية.
أما الأمر العجيب حقاً أن العادات الغذائية تتحكم بشكل كبير في الوراثة الفوق جينية! تم اكتشاف ذلك العديد من الكائنات، ولعل النحل من أكثر الأمثلة غرابة. وجد العلماء أن ملكة النحل والنحلات العاملات متطابقات جينياً كالتوائم المتماثلة رغم اختلافهم في كل شيء، فالملكة هي الأنثى الوحيدة التي تضع البيض، بينما العاملات إناث عقيمة تؤدي المهام في الخلية. فإذا لم تكن الجينات سبب الاختلاف فما السبب؟ اتضح أن غذاء ملكات النحل الذي يعطى ليرقات بعينها في مرحلة النمو، يوجِّه نموها لتصبح ملكة، بينما اليرقات التي لا يضاف لها هذا الغذاء تنمو لتصبح نحلات عاملات! ووجد العلماء تأثير مماثل للغذاء على هذا النوع من الوراثة في البشر أيضاً.
صورة توضح الفرق الذي يصنعه غذاء ملكات النحل في مصير اليرقات
الكتاب من أهم الكتب العلمية التي قرأتها، ممتلئ لآخره بالوظائف والأدوار التي تضطلع بها الوراثة فوق الجينية "epigenetics" والتي تم اكتشافها في النباتات والحشرات والحيوان والإنسان، هذا لأن هذه الشفرة الوراثية هي الأخرى موجودة ومنتشرة في كثير من المخلوقات تماما كالشفرة الجينية المُوحَّدة الموجودة بحروفها الأربع (A, G, T, C) في جميع المخلوقات.
بذلت الكاتبة مجهوداً واضحاً في تغطية كل النقاط المتعلقة بموضوع "الوراثة فوق الچينية" باستفاضة تُحسد عليها، مما جعل الكتاب سيرة حياة لهذا الموضوع الشيق. إنه كتاب شامل بالفعل، لكن المشكلة أن غير المتخصص سيجد صعوبة بسبب استعراض تفاصيل التفاعلات الكيميائية والإنزيمات أثناء شرح تثبيط أو تحفيز الجينات.
أخيراً، أتمنى أن تقوم مؤلفة الكتاب بتأليف جزء ثانٍ لتستعرض الجديد في هذا العلم بعد مرور أكثر من عشر سنوات على نشر الكتاب.
(تحديث: شاهدت مؤخراً وثائقياً بعنوان "جيناتنا مفتاح هويتنا"، استعرض معلومات عن الوراثة فوق الچينية تكاد تكون متطابقة مع بعض أبواب الكتاب إلا أنه ترجمها إلى "الوراثة اللاچينية"، أو "اللاچينوم" بما أنها لا تتعلق بالچينات. شعرت أن هذه الترجمة غير دقيقة، فمن يدري؟ قد يتم اكتشاف شفرة وراثية لاچينية مختلفة في المستقبل).
November 27, 2017
I was initially drawn to this fascinating book because I have an identical twin and always come to wonder in what ways we are so very similar and in others different. I can confirm after reading the book though that 'two things are genetically identical, but phenotypically variable' and that 'an organism continues to be influenced by an event long after this initiating event has occurred'. So knowing someone's genetic code does not tell us everything about how that code will 'express' its information when coming in contact with the environment, that what an expectant mother eats and conditions she is exposed to during pregnancy can have a long lasting effect on her baby's development and that drugs and traumatic events can have a significant impact on our DNA. Understanding epigenetics and transgenerational inheritance are hence important areas of study. If you are interested in a very well written and accessible overview of the topic, this is a good book to start with!
July 20, 2021
The book has been written around 10 years ago. It is about a rapidly developing area. So it might need an update. But in general terms it is a good guide into what is epigenetics answering the questions why genetical twins are different for example. Or how is that that two genetically identical bees are developing into one-a queen having a lot of off-spring but never flying out after the initial "dance"; and the other - into a working bee who cannot have children but "knows" where the flowers grow. These are just two examples, but there are a lot in this book starting from deceases, experiments on mice and nematodes and finishing the development of different spieces and even some questions of nutrition and ethics. It is a lot of unknown in this area, so the book might disappoint with the amount of open questions. It might be a little too technical sometimes as well. But I've enjoyed it and learned a lot.
October 26, 2013
Given that very cell in our body contains exactly the same DNA, how is it possible that so many of our tissues are highly specialised to perform totally different functions?
The answer is epigenetics, which is the study of how the same DNA can be expressed in different ways. Sections of DNA can be switched on or off. They can have their 'volume' turned up or down.
To clarify this phenomenon, the author draws an analogy from theatre. The Royal Shakespeare Company would produce a classical performances of Romeo and Juliette, whilst Baz Luhrmann's movie of the same title is strikingly different - but both use exactly the same script. What is different is how the script is performed.
If our DNA is the script for our play, epigenetic modifications act as a multitude of varied performances, enabling our cells - which, again, all have identical DNA - to specialise in completely different ways. This is why we don't have teeth in our eyes, for example.
According to the author, the field of epigenetics is transforming our understanding of many of the most important questions in biology. It is putting meat on the bones of the nature/nuture debate. Epigenetic phenomena have been shown to account for a number of diseases, including various cancers. They give an insight into what ageing is and why it happens. Nessa Carey provides a number of other examples to contextualise the research being undertaken in this area.
This is a very interesting book. In most places, it is well written and engaging. The reason I give it three stars and not more is the author's explanation and use of terminology.
The book is heavy on jargon from molecular biology. The problem is that unless you study this very carefully, it is easy to end up proceeding through the denser parts of the explanations with only a hazy understanding of what is going on - especially in some of the many sections that pile the terminology on thick and fast.
The book demonstrates an awareness that this will be a difficulty for readers in a couple ways. First, the author reminds the reader of what a term means every now and then. The issue is that this reminder usually comes several chapters after the original explanation.
By this point in the book, if you don't remember exactly what a promoter region or a retrotransposon is, you've likely been struggling for the last couple hours. In brief, then, the reminders of what they key terms mean are not given in timely places throughout the book.
Second, there's the glossary at the end. This could really use more detail. Similar criticism: if you go to the glossary to look for an explanation, you won't necessarily find the matter clarified there.
Unless you study this book like a text at university, constantly going back and forward, or already have a background in genetics, your understanding of the explanations will likely be impeded by these things.
One thing I'd like to see in some of the denser popular science books, now that so many of us read on a Kindle or similar device, is a set of links built into the text so that it is easy to look up full explanations of each concept whenever required.
I wouldn't call myself a lazy reader by any means and I certainly don't expect to have all the work done for me when tackling a book like this - but equally, I don't feel this book has been put together in a way that optimally promotes understanding by the non-specialist reader. As a teacher myself, I understand that this is not always easy - but surely this is a key part of the job of an author trying to communicate a complex topic to the general public.
The answer is epigenetics, which is the study of how the same DNA can be expressed in different ways. Sections of DNA can be switched on or off. They can have their 'volume' turned up or down.
To clarify this phenomenon, the author draws an analogy from theatre. The Royal Shakespeare Company would produce a classical performances of Romeo and Juliette, whilst Baz Luhrmann's movie of the same title is strikingly different - but both use exactly the same script. What is different is how the script is performed.
If our DNA is the script for our play, epigenetic modifications act as a multitude of varied performances, enabling our cells - which, again, all have identical DNA - to specialise in completely different ways. This is why we don't have teeth in our eyes, for example.
According to the author, the field of epigenetics is transforming our understanding of many of the most important questions in biology. It is putting meat on the bones of the nature/nuture debate. Epigenetic phenomena have been shown to account for a number of diseases, including various cancers. They give an insight into what ageing is and why it happens. Nessa Carey provides a number of other examples to contextualise the research being undertaken in this area.
This is a very interesting book. In most places, it is well written and engaging. The reason I give it three stars and not more is the author's explanation and use of terminology.
The book is heavy on jargon from molecular biology. The problem is that unless you study this very carefully, it is easy to end up proceeding through the denser parts of the explanations with only a hazy understanding of what is going on - especially in some of the many sections that pile the terminology on thick and fast.
The book demonstrates an awareness that this will be a difficulty for readers in a couple ways. First, the author reminds the reader of what a term means every now and then. The issue is that this reminder usually comes several chapters after the original explanation.
By this point in the book, if you don't remember exactly what a promoter region or a retrotransposon is, you've likely been struggling for the last couple hours. In brief, then, the reminders of what they key terms mean are not given in timely places throughout the book.
Second, there's the glossary at the end. This could really use more detail. Similar criticism: if you go to the glossary to look for an explanation, you won't necessarily find the matter clarified there.
Unless you study this book like a text at university, constantly going back and forward, or already have a background in genetics, your understanding of the explanations will likely be impeded by these things.
One thing I'd like to see in some of the denser popular science books, now that so many of us read on a Kindle or similar device, is a set of links built into the text so that it is easy to look up full explanations of each concept whenever required.
I wouldn't call myself a lazy reader by any means and I certainly don't expect to have all the work done for me when tackling a book like this - but equally, I don't feel this book has been put together in a way that optimally promotes understanding by the non-specialist reader. As a teacher myself, I understand that this is not always easy - but surely this is a key part of the job of an author trying to communicate a complex topic to the general public.
February 12, 2016
DNA --> mRNA --> proteins --> you understand life! Well, it was never that simple but now it's not even an accurate description of all the functions of DNA. Genes exist in binary "off or on" states. Wrong! Many genes effectively have dimmer switches that allow a continuous spectrum of activation from fully off to some maximum rate of expression. 98% of our DNA is "junk." Wrong! Only 2% codes for proteins but various parts of the rest are now understood to serve several functions, from acting as the above mentioned dimmer switches, to coding for types of RNA that serve functions other than being an intermediary in protein production, including suppressing cancerous changes in cells. Things that happened to your parents or even grandparents can affect your phenotype, e.g. how prone you are to obesity.
In other words, however complicated you thought molecular biology was twenty years ago, when people were hubristically saying, "we almost understand 'the cell' completely," it turns out it's way more complicated than that. The revolution described here bares a resemblance to that that occurred in physics at the turn of the 20th Century, where comments regarding physics being essentially complete turned out to be spectacularly wrong. What is this revolution? It's the understanding that the structure of DNA cannot be functionally reduced to a list of base-pairs. The Watson-Crick double-helix model of DNA isn't the whole story. If it was, all your autosomes (non-sex chromosomes) would be metres long and never fit inside a microscopic cell. The fact that chromosomes fold up into tight, tiny balls that sit roughly in the middle of each cell was known before the fact that they are made of DNA was. It turns out that this folding up has profound consequences beyond just allowing the molecules to fit in a confined space. So does where methyl groups are present on base pairs and how many are present. The same goes for histones. Ditto acetyl groups. Read this book if you want to know what these consequences are in such diverse contexts as aging, mental health, cancer, obesity and anorexia.
If you don't know what any of the above mentioned molecules are, don't worry; this book gives good, comprehensible explanations that I could easily follow from hazy memories of school chemistry and there is a glossary, in case you forget something. It's an incredibly useful few pages and yet it's often neglected in pop sci books.
There are other things I can strongly recommend about this book. It is well referenced, so if you're inclined to look up the technical details and verify what Nessa is saying, you can. Nessa is mostly presenting work that is not controvercial today, even though it is radical by standards of the end of last century. When she does talk about matters that are still murky - when there is still no consensus today - she tells you. She also isn't on a giant self-promotion exercise for her own theories, as many pop sci writers are. All of this makes her trust-worthy in my eyes, in stark contrast to many pop sci authors.
If you are at all interested in molecular biology, this book is worth your time. It's contents fascinated me.
In other words, however complicated you thought molecular biology was twenty years ago, when people were hubristically saying, "we almost understand 'the cell' completely," it turns out it's way more complicated than that. The revolution described here bares a resemblance to that that occurred in physics at the turn of the 20th Century, where comments regarding physics being essentially complete turned out to be spectacularly wrong. What is this revolution? It's the understanding that the structure of DNA cannot be functionally reduced to a list of base-pairs. The Watson-Crick double-helix model of DNA isn't the whole story. If it was, all your autosomes (non-sex chromosomes) would be metres long and never fit inside a microscopic cell. The fact that chromosomes fold up into tight, tiny balls that sit roughly in the middle of each cell was known before the fact that they are made of DNA was. It turns out that this folding up has profound consequences beyond just allowing the molecules to fit in a confined space. So does where methyl groups are present on base pairs and how many are present. The same goes for histones. Ditto acetyl groups. Read this book if you want to know what these consequences are in such diverse contexts as aging, mental health, cancer, obesity and anorexia.
If you don't know what any of the above mentioned molecules are, don't worry; this book gives good, comprehensible explanations that I could easily follow from hazy memories of school chemistry and there is a glossary, in case you forget something. It's an incredibly useful few pages and yet it's often neglected in pop sci books.
There are other things I can strongly recommend about this book. It is well referenced, so if you're inclined to look up the technical details and verify what Nessa is saying, you can. Nessa is mostly presenting work that is not controvercial today, even though it is radical by standards of the end of last century. When she does talk about matters that are still murky - when there is still no consensus today - she tells you. She also isn't on a giant self-promotion exercise for her own theories, as many pop sci writers are. All of this makes her trust-worthy in my eyes, in stark contrast to many pop sci authors.
If you are at all interested in molecular biology, this book is worth your time. It's contents fascinated me.
January 28, 2015
Wow.
Reading this book was a mind-blowing journey.
What I love most about it is that although it delves deep into specifics, all it requires is a basic understanding of cell biology. The author builds her way up from the basics to the tiniest details. Even better, every time something from a previous chapter is mentioned, she explains it in brief again so that the reader doesn't have to go back to that chapter in order to remember what she's talking about.
All this makes it easy to pick up The Epigenetics Revolution, no matter your scientific level or your memory (which, in my case, is very poor).
I definitely recommend this book if your studies involve any kind of biology, because it explores a little bit of all of them.
Reading this book was a mind-blowing journey.
What I love most about it is that although it delves deep into specifics, all it requires is a basic understanding of cell biology. The author builds her way up from the basics to the tiniest details. Even better, every time something from a previous chapter is mentioned, she explains it in brief again so that the reader doesn't have to go back to that chapter in order to remember what she's talking about.
All this makes it easy to pick up The Epigenetics Revolution, no matter your scientific level or your memory (which, in my case, is very poor).
I definitely recommend this book if your studies involve any kind of biology, because it explores a little bit of all of them.
November 2, 2019
Most of this was too detailed for me, but I enjoyed it anyway. It started out by blowing away my definition of epigenetics which I had wrongly ascribed only to agents outside the organism. It includes those plus those within the organism - anything that changes the expression of DNA. That's a really big deal & obvious in retrospect. How does a skin cell differentiate from a liver cell without it? Duh.
Throughout the book, Carey gives great examples. She doesn't limit herself to observable phenomena, but also comparisons, thought experiments, really. This made some very intricate molecular dances comprehensible to me. I heard some I was familiar with, but a great many I wasn't. The book is 8 years old, so there's been some advances since, but I didn't recognize many.
Occasionally, the trees got so thick that I lost sight of the forest, though. That's probably not a problem for anyone with a real scientific background, but was a bit rough for me at times. I had to go to the text & skim the section to make sense of it. I didn't bother with some since it was just more than I wanted to know.
Well narrated & good, but a bit out of my class. I'm giving it 4 stars, but it was more of a 3 star for me. I only recommend it to those with a pretty solid background in chemistry & biology plus a real interest in the detailed working of DNA.
Throughout the book, Carey gives great examples. She doesn't limit herself to observable phenomena, but also comparisons, thought experiments, really. This made some very intricate molecular dances comprehensible to me. I heard some I was familiar with, but a great many I wasn't. The book is 8 years old, so there's been some advances since, but I didn't recognize many.
Occasionally, the trees got so thick that I lost sight of the forest, though. That's probably not a problem for anyone with a real scientific background, but was a bit rough for me at times. I had to go to the text & skim the section to make sense of it. I didn't bother with some since it was just more than I wanted to know.
Well narrated & good, but a bit out of my class. I'm giving it 4 stars, but it was more of a 3 star for me. I only recommend it to those with a pretty solid background in chemistry & biology plus a real interest in the detailed working of DNA.
June 27, 2013
Epigenetics has been a fascinating idea for me for years. I must've been about sixteen or seventeen, and there was a program on it on TV. And until the marks of my biology AS level came back, I was determined to become a geneticist and work on this kind of thing. Then I got a B in biology but shocked my teachers by getting full marks on more than one module of English Lit (a thing they didn't think possible for one module, let alone three), so my fate was sealed. But the interest remained.
So, unsurprisingly, I found this book fascinating. I think I was most interested in the chapter on how the epigenome might be implicated in mental illness, and how epigenetic changes might explain issues such as neglected children growing up to be more susceptible to depression than the average. I wonder whether epigenetics has something to do with the fact that PTSD can be passed from parent to child: obviously, to some extent a paranoid parent with PTSD is going to treat a child in ways that may themselves be traumatic, but there could be some epigenetic factor in their cells making them more susceptible to PTSD.
Obviously this is still a very young field, and much isn't known. Carey manages to present all of this information in a pretty easy-to-digest way, and makes it clear what is speculative, what only applies to animal trials, etc. For me, with a prior interest but little scientific training, it swung oddly at times between being pitched for someone with less knowledge than me and being pitched for someone clearly already familiar with a lot of the names being mentioned. For the most part, though, even parts that made my eyes glaze over with dizzying amounts of information were possible to follow if I just concentrated.
So, unsurprisingly, I found this book fascinating. I think I was most interested in the chapter on how the epigenome might be implicated in mental illness, and how epigenetic changes might explain issues such as neglected children growing up to be more susceptible to depression than the average. I wonder whether epigenetics has something to do with the fact that PTSD can be passed from parent to child: obviously, to some extent a paranoid parent with PTSD is going to treat a child in ways that may themselves be traumatic, but there could be some epigenetic factor in their cells making them more susceptible to PTSD.
Obviously this is still a very young field, and much isn't known. Carey manages to present all of this information in a pretty easy-to-digest way, and makes it clear what is speculative, what only applies to animal trials, etc. For me, with a prior interest but little scientific training, it swung oddly at times between being pitched for someone with less knowledge than me and being pitched for someone clearly already familiar with a lot of the names being mentioned. For the most part, though, even parts that made my eyes glaze over with dizzying amounts of information were possible to follow if I just concentrated.
March 26, 2018
This was fascinating and at times wildly exciting. I had started with the audiobook but somewhere around Chap Three I realized it was getting beyond me, and I found it necessary to switch to print to slow down and think (there are images/figures, acronyms, and specialized vocabulary). Published in 2011 but seems a good survey of research to that point, so I feel a bit more prepared to understand all the groundbreaking and revelatory new studies in epigenetics. I am in awe.
September 9, 2021
এটাতো এখন আমরা সবাই জানি যে, আমাদের বংশধররা ডিএনএ'র মাধ্যমে আমাদের শারীরিক বৈশিষ্ট্য পেয়ে থাকে। কিন্তু অভিজ্ঞতা? আমাদের অভিজ্ঞতাও কি বংশধরদের মধ্যে প্রবাহিত হয়, যদি তাদেরকে জানানো না হয়? ২য় বিশ্বযুদ্ধের সময় নেদারল্যান্ডের দুর্ভিক্ষে যেসব মায়েরা গর্ভধারণের শুরুতে অপুষ্টিতে ভুগেছেন (কিন্তু পরে ভালো খাবার পেয়েছেন), তাদের সন্তানদের মুটিয়ে যাওয়ার হার অনেক বেশি ছিলো। মজার (কিংবা দুঃখজনক) ব্যাপার হলো, এই সন্তানদের ছেলে-মেয়েদেরও মুটিয়ে যাওয়ার হার অনেক বেশি। মানে দাঁড়ালো, দুর্ভিক্ষের অভিজ্ঞতা দুই প্রজন্ম ধরে প্রবহমান। অথচ, তাদের ডিএনএ-তে বিশেষ কোন পরিবর্তন নেই। তাহলে ডিএনএ'র বাইরেও, অন্য কথায় জেনেটিক্সের বাইরেও, এমন কোন প্রক্রিয়া আছে, যা এই মুটিয়ে যাওয়ার বিষয়টা ব্যাখ্যা করতে পারে। এটাই এপিজেনেটিক্স। যা জেনেটিক্সের বাইরে তাই এপিজেনেটিক্স।
যমজ ভাই-বোন যারা দেখতে প্রায় একই (monozygotic twin) তাদের ডিএনএ হুবহু (প্রায়) একই। কিন্তু তাদের জীবন বা তাদের ব্যক্তিত্ব কিন্তু হুবহু (প্রায়) একই হয় না। তাদের বয়স যত বাড়তে থাকে তাদের জীবনধারণ ও ব্যক্তিত্বের মধ্যে তত পার্থক্য তৈরি হতে থাকে। মজার ব্যাপার হলো, জীবনের শুরুতে এই যমজদের মধ্যে এপিজেনেটিক চিহ্ন (মেথাইলেশনের ভিত্তিতে) প্রায় একই হলেও, বয়সের সাথে-সাথে এপিজেনেটিক দূরত্ব বাড়তে থাকে। তবে কি জীবনের অভিজ্ঞতা মেথাইলেশনের মাধ্যমে দেহে সঞ্চিত থাকে? এর উত্তর এখনও পুরোপুরি পরিষ্কার না হলে, হয়তো অচিরেই জানা যাবে।
অনেকেরই হয়তো 'ডলি' নামের ক্লোন করা ভেড়ার কথা মনে আছে। দেহকোষকে ভ্রূণে রূপান্তরের মাধ্যমে নতুন প্রাণ জন্ম দেয়ার এই পদ্ধতি এপিজেনেটিক্সের অন্যতম উদাহরণ।
বলতে চাইলে আরো বলা যায়, তবে সংক্ষেপে, এরকম মজার-মজার বিষয় নিয়ে এই বই। এতে এপিজেনেটিক্সের শুরুর দিকের গল্প যেমন আছে, তেমনি বেশ কিছু বৈজ্ঞানিক বিষয়ও আছে যা জেনেটিক্সের ধারণা থাকলে ভালো বুঝা যাবে। বেশ জটিল ব্যাপারগুলো বেশ সহজ করে বুঝানো হয়েছে। আসলে ধারণাগুলোই কঠিন, তাই কিছু কিছু অধ্যায় কয়েকবার করে পড়তে হয়েছে বিষয়গুলো মাথায় ঢুকানোর জন্য। বারবার পড়তে বিরক্তি লাগেনি, বরং মজার মনে হয়েছে। কিছুদিন পর আবার পড়ার ইচ্ছা আছে কিছু কিছু অধ্যায়, যাতে মজ্জাগত করত পারি বিষয়গুলো। চমৎকার একটি বই।
যমজ ভাই-বোন যারা দেখতে প্রায় একই (monozygotic twin) তাদের ডিএনএ হুবহু (প্রায়) একই। কিন্তু তাদের জীবন বা তাদের ব্যক্তিত্ব কিন্তু হুবহু (প্রায়) একই হয় না। তাদের বয়স যত বাড়তে থাকে তাদের জীবনধারণ ও ব্যক্তিত্বের মধ্যে তত পার্থক্য তৈরি হতে থাকে। মজার ব্যাপার হলো, জীবনের শুরুতে এই যমজদের মধ্যে এপিজেনেটিক চিহ্ন (মেথাইলেশনের ভিত্তিতে) প্রায় একই হলেও, বয়সের সাথে-সাথে এপিজেনেটিক দূরত্ব বাড়তে থাকে। তবে কি জীবনের অভিজ্ঞতা মেথাইলেশনের মাধ্যমে দেহে সঞ্চিত থাকে? এর উত্তর এখনও পুরোপুরি পরিষ্কার না হলে, হয়তো অচিরেই জানা যাবে।
অনেকেরই হয়তো 'ডলি' নামের ক্লোন করা ভেড়ার কথা মনে আছে। দেহকোষকে ভ্রূণে রূপান্তরের মাধ্যমে নতুন প্রাণ জন্ম দেয়ার এই পদ্ধতি এপিজেনেটিক্সের অন্যতম উদাহরণ।
বলতে চাইলে আরো বলা যায়, তবে সংক্ষেপে, এরকম মজার-মজার বিষয় নিয়ে এই বই। এতে এপিজেনেটিক্সের শুরুর দিকের গল্প যেমন আছে, তেমনি বেশ কিছু বৈজ্ঞানিক বিষয়ও আছে যা জেনেটিক্সের ধারণা থাকলে ভালো বুঝা যাবে। বেশ জটিল ব্যাপারগুলো বেশ সহজ করে বুঝানো হয়েছে। আসলে ধারণাগুলোই কঠিন, তাই কিছু কিছু অধ্যায় কয়েকবার করে পড়তে হয়েছে বিষয়গুলো মাথায় ঢুকানোর জন্য। বারবার পড়তে বিরক্তি লাগেনি, বরং মজার মনে হয়েছে। কিছুদিন পর আবার পড়ার ইচ্ছা আছে কিছু কিছু অধ্যায়, যাতে মজ্জাগত করত পারি বিষয়গুলো। চমৎকার একটি বই।
November 4, 2018
This is my first book on epigenetics and it’s fascinating how different situations, actions, or experiences in our lives can affect our cells. Events that happened to our parents, grandparents, and so forth can also affect our cells in ways science is just starting to understand. I liked how Nessa Carey laid out the book. She starts with a history and some examples of epigenetics. She then discusses cells and how they work and how epigenetics is contributing to understanding diseases such as cancer and Alzheimers. She looks at why identical twins are not truly identical at the cellular level and how psychological trauma at an early age can affect us. She finishes the book with what we can expect to see in the future from the field of epigenetics.
I learned a lot from this book, and want to learn more about this topic. I did find it difficult to stay engaged, partly because of Carey’s abundant use of adverbs, and partly because I’m not well versed in biology. Maybe if I had a better basic understanding before going in—it’s been a long time since I took a college biology course—it would’ve been more engaging for me. Overall a great introduction to the field.
I learned a lot from this book, and want to learn more about this topic. I did find it difficult to stay engaged, partly because of Carey’s abundant use of adverbs, and partly because I’m not well versed in biology. Maybe if I had a better basic understanding before going in—it’s been a long time since I took a college biology course—it would’ve been more engaging for me. Overall a great introduction to the field.
January 10, 2019
This was a really interesting read. Carey aims to discuss epigenetics - i.e. the molecular basis for processes that act in tandem with our genes to influence our biology. This is a really good introduction to the subject, and also does explore a large number of key current areas of research, including discussions about cancer, depression, aging and genetic variation. I was possibly a little unfortunate that I have a pretty sound understanding of genetics and biochemistry from when I was at university, and that I was reading this on a commute. As a consequence I found some of the more introductory sections a little slow (and some of the analogies used a little bizarre) and some of the most advanced and jargon-heavy sections a little hard to concentrate on (due to distractions on the train etc.). However, I feel it certainly would merit a second read and would not hesitate to recommend it to those interested in the field.
September 20, 2022
This is Nonfiction/Health. I love reading in these genres. Health books are fascinating to me. This one...well, not so much. I've found that some authors can make their medical focus relatable to the masses and others, just want to talk to their peers.
I liked the idea behind this one but I don't have an MD after my name and I think here, reading this book, one might want to have that medical degree on their resume. I was lost. Then I'd be found. Then I'd be lost....and so on. So 3 stars, at least for now.
I liked the idea behind this one but I don't have an MD after my name and I think here, reading this book, one might want to have that medical degree on their resume. I was lost. Then I'd be found. Then I'd be lost....and so on. So 3 stars, at least for now.
December 22, 2021
Väga hea ja seeditav raamat epigeneetikast. Autor selgitab rakusiseseid ja -väliseid protsesse väga kavalate ja heade analoogidega, mis teevad suure pilti nägemise palju lihtsamaks.
Veel selgitab autor epigeneetika ajalugu, olevikku ja paneb sind mõtlema ka tuleviku peale. Mis oleka kui…
Tugev soovitus kõigile, keda huvitav geneetika, epigeneetika ja DNAdlased (DNA-teadlased).
Veel selgitab autor epigeneetika ajalugu, olevikku ja paneb sind mõtlema ka tuleviku peale. Mis oleka kui…
Tugev soovitus kõigile, keda huvitav geneetika, epigeneetika ja DNAdlased (DNA-teadlased).
September 16, 2011
The book gives a solid overview over the early history of Epigenetics as well as the known mechanisms, like histone modification and DNA methylation. The phenomenon of Genomic Imprinting also gets its fair share.
Additionally many of the experiments that established our current knowledge on Epigenetics are described, as well as the potential medical applications. Biologists that are already kinda firm with the general topic may not learn that much new stuff, but I discovered some great experiments that epigeneticists have performed.
Non-biologists be warned: The book is quite heavy on genetics in general. Although the book does not require much prior knowledge and everything is explained in detail you may find it to be too much on the technical side.
So if you are interested in getting a deeper understanding of epigenetics and don't mind technical language I'd recommend this book.
Additionally many of the experiments that established our current knowledge on Epigenetics are described, as well as the potential medical applications. Biologists that are already kinda firm with the general topic may not learn that much new stuff, but I discovered some great experiments that epigeneticists have performed.
Non-biologists be warned: The book is quite heavy on genetics in general. Although the book does not require much prior knowledge and everything is explained in detail you may find it to be too much on the technical side.
So if you are interested in getting a deeper understanding of epigenetics and don't mind technical language I'd recommend this book.
January 27, 2016
Carey provides a clear and easy to understand explanation of how epigenetics works and how it is forcing us to rewrite the theory of evolution, giving the environment a larger role and the gene itself a smaller one.
Essential for anyone who wants to keep up to date with the theory of evolution.
Essential for anyone who wants to keep up to date with the theory of evolution.
March 13, 2023
How many of us gone roumd and round a location, failing to find it, despite it being shown neatly and boldly in the Google Map or site?
Nearly everyone, haven’t we?
Why? Those maps have been prepared with the help of inputs from satellites and many other reliable, high-end sources. All that should have made things easier. But reality is rather different.
Why?
This book is NOT about that. But it deals with a similar problem, which actually affects us more.
You see, the Human Genome Project had given us this idea that with this 'map', problems of human body can be sorted out quickly and efficiently. But that hasn’t happened. Instead, better understanding of genetics have made those notions even more fallible.
This book, rather than lamenting over such problems, tries to find answers using cutting edge research in a newly (but fast) developing area called epigenetics.
It’s not an easy book. It’s not even very readable, being devoid of pop-culture or literary references. But content-wise it’s a very good book.
Recommended.
Nearly everyone, haven’t we?
Why? Those maps have been prepared with the help of inputs from satellites and many other reliable, high-end sources. All that should have made things easier. But reality is rather different.
Why?
This book is NOT about that. But it deals with a similar problem, which actually affects us more.
You see, the Human Genome Project had given us this idea that with this 'map', problems of human body can be sorted out quickly and efficiently. But that hasn’t happened. Instead, better understanding of genetics have made those notions even more fallible.
This book, rather than lamenting over such problems, tries to find answers using cutting edge research in a newly (but fast) developing area called epigenetics.
It’s not an easy book. It’s not even very readable, being devoid of pop-culture or literary references. But content-wise it’s a very good book.
Recommended.
August 28, 2014
Even though the title of the book contains the word 'epigenetics', this was just the book I needed to read to make me understand how genetics itself truly works. We've all heard of the grandest molecule of all - the double helix of DNA. We all talk about genes, chromosomes and even stem cells. But I would guess that most biologically-lay people have little inkling of how genes result into fully formed bodies. We are told that DNA is to a body what a blue-print is to a building. Well, after reading this book, I can tell you that that analogy is as far-fetched as it can be without being entirely wrong.
My jaw dropped so many times while reading this book that I was shocked at the realization that I've somehow never come across these ideas before. None of what Nessa Carey very elegantly presents in this book is just a product of her mind alone, and a lot of the concepts are not even that new. But still somehow they'd all escaped my orbit for so long.
Here are some of the questions that this books answers:
- We've all read that we lose almost all our cells every few years and replace them with new ones. Well, not so fast. A huge exception to this is the neurons in our brains. They pretty much last us a life-time. Why and how?
- Cells from different organs of an animal are very different in appearance even though they all have the same DNA and other structures. How can that be?
- Why aren't identical twins actually identical? It's one thing to sweep this under the rug by vague reference to nurture, it's another much deeper thing to talk about what nurture actually means.
- When mammals reproduce, why does this require a male and a female parent? This isn't true for many other species. A cell is a cell is a cell. Or is it?
- Why do cloned animals so often have abnormalities? And if so, why not all the time?
- We've two copies of each chromosome. Three would just not be possible then. Right?
- You've probably read in some newspaper article that we carry a lot of 'junk' DNA. Scientists have realized that they should not have been so eager to label it thus. What does all that junk DNA do?
Most of these questions have answers rooted in epigenetics, not just older DNA-oriented genetics.
My jaw dropped so many times while reading this book that I was shocked at the realization that I've somehow never come across these ideas before. None of what Nessa Carey very elegantly presents in this book is just a product of her mind alone, and a lot of the concepts are not even that new. But still somehow they'd all escaped my orbit for so long.
Here are some of the questions that this books answers:
- We've all read that we lose almost all our cells every few years and replace them with new ones. Well, not so fast. A huge exception to this is the neurons in our brains. They pretty much last us a life-time. Why and how?
- Cells from different organs of an animal are very different in appearance even though they all have the same DNA and other structures. How can that be?
- Why aren't identical twins actually identical? It's one thing to sweep this under the rug by vague reference to nurture, it's another much deeper thing to talk about what nurture actually means.
- When mammals reproduce, why does this require a male and a female parent? This isn't true for many other species. A cell is a cell is a cell. Or is it?
- Why do cloned animals so often have abnormalities? And if so, why not all the time?
- We've two copies of each chromosome. Three would just not be possible then. Right?
- You've probably read in some newspaper article that we carry a lot of 'junk' DNA. Scientists have realized that they should not have been so eager to label it thus. What does all that junk DNA do?
Most of these questions have answers rooted in epigenetics, not just older DNA-oriented genetics.
December 9, 2014
First half is great and informative. Second half is only informative for people who already know a lot about different genetic mechanisms and their names.
Pro:
A lot of interesting ideas and science. There is a lot to epigenetics that you probably don't know about and it's one of the most interesting scientific fields to follow in our age as new great discoveries are made every year. The main message from this book is: food can change how some specific genes are activated/deactivated. And this effect can be passed on to the next generations via epigenetics and therefore not directly through genes or environment as such.
Con:
Carey is a very knowledgeable person. Anyone with a medical degree will appreciate and love this book. I don't have a medical degree. I have a degree where I learned about genes and evolution and the theoretical aspects of it but all the different genes and mechanisms are not something I know a whole lot about. So for me the last many chapters of this book went over my head. I understood the messages and the ideas. But I have forgotten many specifics effects and names that made up the biggest part of this book. Recommended for someone interested in the mechanisms behind genes and epigenetics. Otherwise the main messages can be written in a much shorter and more accessible book.
Pro:
A lot of interesting ideas and science. There is a lot to epigenetics that you probably don't know about and it's one of the most interesting scientific fields to follow in our age as new great discoveries are made every year. The main message from this book is: food can change how some specific genes are activated/deactivated. And this effect can be passed on to the next generations via epigenetics and therefore not directly through genes or environment as such.
Con:
Carey is a very knowledgeable person. Anyone with a medical degree will appreciate and love this book. I don't have a medical degree. I have a degree where I learned about genes and evolution and the theoretical aspects of it but all the different genes and mechanisms are not something I know a whole lot about. So for me the last many chapters of this book went over my head. I understood the messages and the ideas. But I have forgotten many specifics effects and names that made up the biggest part of this book. Recommended for someone interested in the mechanisms behind genes and epigenetics. Otherwise the main messages can be written in a much shorter and more accessible book.
January 23, 2020
Epigenetics is a very interesting topic, but I found the writing of this book to be very long-winded, dry and arduous.
Author Nessa Carey is undoubtedly a competent scientist, but her writing leaves much to be desired, IMHO.
The book lacks a cohesive structure and narrative. It has a terrible "flow". I found my attention wandering more often than not with this one. I almost stopped reading, but ultimately decided to finish it off. Had the book been much longer than it was, I would have put it down for sure.
I was expecting a much more interesting, engaging read, based on the description and reviews here.
Aside from the dry tone of the writing, this is a fairly technical science book. It is not written in a way that is accessible to the layperson. If you don't have a decent comprehension of biology and chemistry, you will want to give this one a pass, as most of it will be completely foreign to you.
This book reminds me of an old maxim I picked up somewhere about two different kinds of communication: One is where you take an idea and break it down in a simple way that is easy to understand. The other is where you take the same idea, and explain it in a very complex, in-depth and complicated manner that's difficult to follow.
The former is effective communication, and the latter - not. "The Epigenetics Revolution" is an example of the latter.
2 stars.
Author Nessa Carey is undoubtedly a competent scientist, but her writing leaves much to be desired, IMHO.
The book lacks a cohesive structure and narrative. It has a terrible "flow". I found my attention wandering more often than not with this one. I almost stopped reading, but ultimately decided to finish it off. Had the book been much longer than it was, I would have put it down for sure.
I was expecting a much more interesting, engaging read, based on the description and reviews here.
Aside from the dry tone of the writing, this is a fairly technical science book. It is not written in a way that is accessible to the layperson. If you don't have a decent comprehension of biology and chemistry, you will want to give this one a pass, as most of it will be completely foreign to you.
This book reminds me of an old maxim I picked up somewhere about two different kinds of communication: One is where you take an idea and break it down in a simple way that is easy to understand. The other is where you take the same idea, and explain it in a very complex, in-depth and complicated manner that's difficult to follow.
The former is effective communication, and the latter - not. "The Epigenetics Revolution" is an example of the latter.
2 stars.
January 29, 2013
Clear and concise, this book hit just the spot I wanted it to. It was a welcome book in the sense that though, at times, it felt a little swamped with names and terms (which I think if taking your time to read (which I did) it's easy to keep on top of) it was a relatively 'uncluttered' book; most scientific terms had an analogy to link them to or something similar which made them much easier to understand.
The actual topic of epigenetics is absolutely fascinating. It can explain such diverse phenomena as how queen bees and ants control their colonies, why tortoiseshell cats are always female (and why if they're not they're 'abnormal'), why some plants need a period of cold before they can flower, why we age, develop disease and become addicted to drugs. There are so many answers in epigenetics which give rise to so much possibility to find reason and cure or treatment for diseases.
Reading this was a brilliant journey; there were parts I found a little slow but in the majority I found it interesting. Carey touched on a bit of everything, not only showing how much epigenetics shape us but it avoided the book becoming a drag.
I'd recommend this to anyone who has a keen interest in biology or, more specifically, genetics. It's absolutely fantastic.
The actual topic of epigenetics is absolutely fascinating. It can explain such diverse phenomena as how queen bees and ants control their colonies, why tortoiseshell cats are always female (and why if they're not they're 'abnormal'), why some plants need a period of cold before they can flower, why we age, develop disease and become addicted to drugs. There are so many answers in epigenetics which give rise to so much possibility to find reason and cure or treatment for diseases.
Reading this was a brilliant journey; there were parts I found a little slow but in the majority I found it interesting. Carey touched on a bit of everything, not only showing how much epigenetics shape us but it avoided the book becoming a drag.
I'd recommend this to anyone who has a keen interest in biology or, more specifically, genetics. It's absolutely fantastic.
Read
April 4, 2012Not a proper review as I didn't read the whole thing.
This is a weird pop science book. Carey includes some very basic and unnecessary analogies based of the 'imagine RNA is Baz Luhrmann's shooting script for Romeo and Juliet' etc. that seem to be pitched at readers who, I'm pretty sure, aren't that likely to be picking up a book with 'epigenetics' in the title. But then there's a bunch of descriptions of epigenetic effects featuring complicated cascades of gene names and so on, after a few of which I gave up. This may well be more my fault than Carey's. The machinery in a cell might be able to keep track of which gene comes is maternally and which paternally derived, but I can't, or at least not without the aid of some animation.
Also pointless are the tiny pen portraits of scientists. I don't really get why some pop science writers include these when they've not interviewed the scientists and are not exploring their personalities in any way. I don't need to know what kind of mustache Professor Y has on his face. You could have used that space for another diagram of a cute inbred mouse.
This is a weird pop science book. Carey includes some very basic and unnecessary analogies based of the 'imagine RNA is Baz Luhrmann's shooting script for Romeo and Juliet' etc. that seem to be pitched at readers who, I'm pretty sure, aren't that likely to be picking up a book with 'epigenetics' in the title. But then there's a bunch of descriptions of epigenetic effects featuring complicated cascades of gene names and so on, after a few of which I gave up. This may well be more my fault than Carey's. The machinery in a cell might be able to keep track of which gene comes is maternally and which paternally derived, but I can't, or at least not without the aid of some animation.
Also pointless are the tiny pen portraits of scientists. I don't really get why some pop science writers include these when they've not interviewed the scientists and are not exploring their personalities in any way. I don't need to know what kind of mustache Professor Y has on his face. You could have used that space for another diagram of a cute inbred mouse.
June 10, 2013
I found this to be an enjoyable book, written in an engaging style which draws the reader into each chapter. It contains a lot of information, some quite detailed. Although I'm a scientist by profession, this was a new area for me and reading this work has taught me a lot about epigenetics and its importance in the functioning of life. Much of the material was very thought provoking and eye-opening.
Each chapter covers a different area of epigenetics and starts off with a simple introduction to the theme before progressing to more complex ideas, usually by incorporating the results from research. In some chapters, I got lost in the later parts, largely I think because of the preponderance of abbreviations and acronyms that the author has to use. But in every chapter, without exception, I found it easy to understand the gist of what was being covered. And it is the gist that is likely to stick in my mind in the years to come, whereas the minutiae of which gene is repressed by what particular mechanism will be quickly forgotten but without much consequence.
Each chapter covers a different area of epigenetics and starts off with a simple introduction to the theme before progressing to more complex ideas, usually by incorporating the results from research. In some chapters, I got lost in the later parts, largely I think because of the preponderance of abbreviations and acronyms that the author has to use. But in every chapter, without exception, I found it easy to understand the gist of what was being covered. And it is the gist that is likely to stick in my mind in the years to come, whereas the minutiae of which gene is repressed by what particular mechanism will be quickly forgotten but without much consequence.
July 31, 2017
A fascinating subject. And the author worked very hard to make it approachable. Metaphors, examples, diagrams, revisiting prior subjects and adding complexities. Which is presumably why some of the material only required three re-reads to maybe get and hold what was being presented. I think I walked away with a better understanding of the subject, but I'm really not positive. Certainly the last epigenetics I was exposed to, at an OMSI science pub talk, seemed to be more focused on junk dna - and this was not. Worth reading, but your mileage will vary based on your ability to follow. 3.5 of 5.
August 30, 2020
Good solid science writing.
Nearing its expiration date but still fresh (enough).
Informative and engaging.
Nice primer on this important subject.
Good explanation of DNA methylation and histone acetylation. Key processes in epigenetics.
Oddly uninspired to write anything more about the book.
Let’s just say, it’s a little better than ok 👍
Get it if you’re so inclined.
But don’t expect to be wowed 🤩
Nearing its expiration date but still fresh (enough).
Informative and engaging.
Nice primer on this important subject.
Good explanation of DNA methylation and histone acetylation. Key processes in epigenetics.
Oddly uninspired to write anything more about the book.
Let’s just say, it’s a little better than ok 👍
Get it if you’re so inclined.
But don’t expect to be wowed 🤩
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