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Epigenetic Inheritance in Mammals

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Epigenetics, Brain and Behavior

Part of the book series: Research and Perspectives in Neurosciences ((NEUROSCIENCE))

Abstract

The epigenetic state of a cell is determined by epigenome that represents the ensemble of modifications occurring at the chromatin. These modifications involve the specific marking of DNA and protein histones, which provides a potent and dynamic mode of regulation of the genome without changing the DNA sequence itself. In mammals, the epigenome was previously thought to be fully erased after fertilization and then partly reestablished for further cellular development and differentiation. It is now recognized that erasure is not complete and that some epigenetic marks are maintained and passed to the offspring. Such maintenance is postulated to provide a unique mode of epigenetic inheritance, but this proposal has been the subject of much debate. Now, there is increasing evidence to show that it does occur in rodents and humans. This review discusses some of this evidence and describes examples of epigenomic transmission of traits influenced by environmental factors such as diet, toxic agents, stress and environmental enrichment across generations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Faculty of the University of Zürich and Department of Biology, Brain Research Institute, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057, Zürich, Switzerland

    Johannes Bohacek & Isabelle M. Mansuy

Authors
  1. Johannes Bohacek
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  2. Isabelle M. Mansuy
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Correspondence to Isabelle M. Mansuy .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Center for Metabolism and Epigenetics, University of California at Irvine, Sprague Hall 324, Irvine, 92697, California, USA

    Paolo Sassone Corsi

  2. Recherche Therapeutique, Fondation IPSEN pour la, quai George Gorse 65, Boulogne Billancourt Cedex, 92650, France

    Yves Christen

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Bohacek, J., Mansuy, I.M. (2012). Epigenetic Inheritance in Mammals. In: Sassone Corsi, P., Christen, Y. (eds) Epigenetics, Brain and Behavior. Research and Perspectives in Neurosciences. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27913-3_5

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