Genome complexity: passing stress reactions (Introduction)

by David Turell , Tuesday, October 20, 2015, 13:45 (3110 days ago) @ David Turell

Male sperm using microRNAs can do this for one generation, more not known"-http://www.the-scientist.com//?articles.view/articleNo/44273/title/Sperm-RNAs-Transmit-Stress/-"In the past several years, it has become clear that parents' life experiences can alter germ cells epigenetically, and that events in parents' lives can influence the health and behavior of their children and even grandchildren. But it can be difficult to establish a causal connection between epigenetic changes and changes in behavior and health. Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania led by Tracy Bale have now demonstrated that an increase in a group of microRNAs (miRNAs) in sperm from stressed mice can lead to altered stress response in adult offspring. The work, published today (October 19) in PNAS, shows that simultaneously injecting nine miRNAs into mouse zygotes recapitulates the changes found in the offspring of stressed mice.-“'I think it's a fine paper [and a] well-designed study,” said Michael Skinner, who studies epigenetic inheritance at Washington State University and was not involved in the study. “It shows a very nice role for noncoding RNA at the early embryonic stage for transmission of the transgenerational phenotype.'”-Comment: Still the same species