Epigenetics: Passing the effects (Introduction)

by David Turell , Monday, February 02, 2015, 23:06 (3583 days ago) @ David Turell

More research in C. elegans finds epigenetic effects can pass through 25 generations when double stranded RNA (dsRNA) acts on the germ cells:-http://phys.org/news/2015-02-mechanism-inheritance-advance-evolution-disease.html-"The team's biggest finding was that dsRNA can travel from body cells into germ cells and silence genes within the germ cells. Even more surprising, the silencing can stick around for more than 25 generations. If this same mechanism exists in other animals—possibly including humans—it could mean that there is a completely different way for a species to evolve in response to its environment.-"'This mechanism gives an animal a tool to evolve much faster," Jose said. "We still need to figure out whether this tool is actually used in this way, but it is at least possible. If animals use this RNA transport to adapt, it would mean a new understanding of how evolution happens.'"