Epigenome Research

  The epigenome comprises all of the chemical compounds that are added to everything of one’s DNA (genome) as how to manage the activity (expression) of all the genes within the genome. The chemical compounds of the epigenome aren't a part of the DNA sequence, but are on or attached to DNA (“epi-“means above in Greek). Epigenetic modifications remain as cells divide and in some cases are often inherited through the generations. Environmental influences, like a person’s diet and exposure to pollutants, also can impact the epigenome. The epigenome may be a multitude of chemical compounds which will tell the genome what to try to to. The human genome is that the complete assembly of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)-about 3 billion base pairs - that creates each individual unique. DNA holds the instructions for building the proteins that perform a spread of functions during a cell. The epigenome is formed from chemical compounds and proteins which will attach to DNA and direct such actions as turning genes on or off, controlling the assembly of proteins in particular cells. When epigenomic compounds attach to DNA and modify its function, they're said to possess "marked" the genome. These marks do not change the sequence of the DNA. The epigenomic profile for a particular disease is usually a result of the complex interplay between multiple genetic and environmental factors, which poses a huge challenge to see and interpret these data. Furthermore, thanks to the dynamic nature of the epigenome, it's critical to work out causal relationships from the various correlated associations.