epigenetics

English

WOTD – 24 January 2006

Etymology

Blend of epigenesis +‎ genetics; coined by C. H. Waddington in 1942.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌɛpɪd͡ʒəˈnɛtɪks/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

Noun

epigenetics (uncountable)

1. (genetics) The study of the processes involved in the genetic development of an organism, especially the activation and deactivation of genes.
   • 2010 November 6, “Sins of the Fathers”, in New Scientist:

     Epigenetics deals with the regulation of genetic activity within a cell - which genes are switched on or off, and when it happens.

   • 2023, Robert M. Sapolsky, Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will, New York: Penguin, →ISBN:

     The nuts and bolts of how this happens revolves around the massively trendy field of “epigenetics,” revealing how early life experience causes long-lasting changes in gene expression in particular brain regions.

2. (genetics) The study of heritable changes caused by the activation and deactivation of genes without any change in DNA sequence.

Coordinate terms

• epistasis

Derived terms

• metaboloepigenetics
• neuroepigenetics
• pharmacoepigenetics

Related terms

• epigenetic
• epigenome
• genetic determinism

Translations

study of processes

Chinese: Mandarin: 表觀遺傳學 / 表观遗传学 (biǎoguān yíchuánxué) Dutch: epigenetica (nl) French: épigénétique (fr) f German: Epigenetik (de) f Hungarian: epigenetika (hu) Irish: eipigéineolaíocht f Italian: epigenetica (it) f Japanese: エピジェネティクス (ja) (epijenetikusu), 後生学 (ja) (kōseigaku) Polish: epigenetyka (pl) f Portuguese: epigenética f Russian: эпигенетика (ru) f (epigenetika) Spanish: epigenética (es) f Swedish: epigenetik (sv) Ukrainian: епігенетика f (epihenetyka)

study of heritable changes

Dutch: epigenetica (nl) French: épigénétique (fr) f German: Epigenetik (de) f Hungarian: epigenetika (hu) Irish: eipigéineolaíocht f Italian: epigenetica (it) f Japanese: エピジェネティクス (ja) (epijenetikusu), 後生学 (ja) (kōseigaku) Polish: epigenetyka (pl) f Portuguese: epigenética f Russian: эпигенетика (ru) f (epigenetika) Spanish: epigenética (es) f Swedish: epigenetik (sv) Ukrainian: епігенетика f (epihenetyka)

See also

• gene expression
• gene silencing

Further reading

• epigenetics on Wikipedia.Wikipedia