Epigenetics: gene expression regulation at transcriptional level and its implications

Abstract

Epigenetics includes several mechanisms that promote the gene expression regulation at transcriptional level through chemical changes in DNA and chromatin, such as methylation, acetylation and phosphorylation, resulting in phenotypic change without no changes occur in the DNA sequence. These DNA chemical changes are constantly made and unmade throughout the individual life, except for constitutive chemical markings that are genetically inherited, because often people are in contact with agents that promote these phenomens during their lifes. Changes in epigenetic patterns promoting aberrant expression or gene silencing may appear in aged organisms, and in a wide variety of events and conditions such as cancer, X chromosome inactivation in genomic imprinting, and in various neurological and motor development syndromes. Thus, seek currently drugs development that have the ability to reverse altered chemical markings in specific regions of the genome related to certain diseases. A greater understanding of the epigenetic universe associated with its implications to normal physiological and pathological states, it is a great promise in molecular era to development of prophylactic, diagnostic and therapeutic tools of a wide variety of diseases.