User:Boydak13/Environmental Epigenetics - Nutrition
Epigenetics is the study of how outside factors can influence the expression of certain genes to create a variation of phenotypes (physical attributes/characteristics) without affecting the organism's DNA.[1] The base pair nucleotides (Adenine, Thymine, Guanine, and Cytosine) pair together to form DNA structures. The environment can change how many organisms such as plants, animals, bacteria, and even humans, develop and continue to grow. The three environmental agents that can cause phenotypes to be altered, including Direct Transcriptional Regulation, Neuroendocrine system, and Direct Induction. The most influential factors that affect environmental epigenetics are behaviors, nutrition, and chemical exposure.
Nutrition is one of the factors that most commonly affects organisms, especially humans. The development of a fetus, especially during utero, is heavily affected by the mother's intake of nutrients[2]. The nervous system receives signals from the environment to release chemical signals, altering the hormone production within organisms. The production of these hormones then causes changes in the phenotype of the animal.
Examples of Nutritional Epigenetics
Royal Jelly
Honeybee phenotype is influenced by the epigenome, which is influenced by their early nutrition. With identical genomes, two distinct female castes are produced: a long-lived queen with fully developed ovaries and a short-lived, functionally sterile worker. A queen-destined female larva is given enormous quantities of royal jelly. Queen structure, including the fully developed ovaries required to lay eggs, develops as a result of the royal jelly. The hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of nurse honeybees create royal jelly.[4]
Horn Length of the Male Dung Beetle
The horn length of male dung beetle (Onthophagus acuminatus) is determined by its nutrition while in the larval stage. Males that eat more during the larval stage are able to grow horns that are longer than their body. The males that have either less access to food or eat less either do not grow horns or have small horns.[5] The amount of food available to the larvae is what determines the amount of juvenile hormone in the beetle. Juvenile hormone directly correlates to horn growth. The size of the larvae at the last metamorphosis determines how large the horns can become.[1]
Nutritional Epigenetics and Diseases
Obesity
Obesity, including being overweight, is a common disease that affects more than 35% of the world's population[6]. You see obesity and overweight individuals all over America. These diseases can form during utero, in later life based on genes from your parents, and nutrition intake throughout life. Maternal obesity can affect the fetus by causing increased risk of obesity, heart diseases, diabetes, asthma, and CNS malformations (Congenital Central Nervous System). Obese mothers commonly have children that have CNS malformations including Spina Bifida, Anencephaly, and Isolated hydrocephaly[7].
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 Diabetes is a condition where the body has problems regulating sugars and using them as fuel. The two main problems that people with this condition have are the pancreas not creating enough insulin for the body and their cells not responding to insulin. [8] Managing the disease by implementing nutritional recommendations can help improve glucose in the blood[9]. Type 2 diabetes studies show that consuming certain fruits, like those in the citrus category, can help to reduce the risk of developing the disease.[10]
References
- ^ a b Gilbert, Scott. "Ecological Developmental Biology". reader.yuzu.com. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- ^ Bazer, Fuller W.; Spencer, Thomas E.; Wu, Guoyao; Cudd, Timothy A.; Meininger, Cynthia J. (2004-09-01). "Maternal Nutrition and Fetal Development". The Journal of Nutrition. 134 (9): 2169–2172. doi:10.1093/jn/134.9.2169. ISSN 0022-3166.
- ^ Waugsberg (2008-05-11), Deutsch: Zwei Weiselzellen wurden von der Wabe entfernt und geöffnet, um die Entwicklung einer Bienenkönigin der Westlichen Honigbiene zu zeigen. Die Larven schwimmen zunächst, wie hier zu sehen, als Rundmaden waagrecht an der Unterseite des Königinfuttersafts (Gelée Royale), der sich oben in der anfangs nach unten offenen Zelle befindet. Wenn sich die Zellen in ihrer natürlichen Lage befänden, würde man die Larven so sehen, wenn man senkrecht nach oben blickt. Die Larven sind etwa vor 3 und 4 Tage aus dem Ei geschlüpft oder ab Eilage etwa 6 bzw. 7 Tage alt., retrieved 2024-03-04
- ^ Viuda-Martos, Manuel; Pérez-Alvarez, José A.; Fernández-López, Juana (2017), "Royal Jelly: Health Benefits and Uses in Medicine", Bee Products - Chemical and Biological Properties, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 199–218, doi:10.1007/978-3-319-59689-1_10, ISBN 978-3-319-59688-4, retrieved 2024-03-11
- ^ Emlen, Douglas J. (1997). "Alternative Reproductive Tactics and Male-Dimorphism in the Horned Beetle Onthophagus acuminatus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)". Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 41 (5): 335–341. doi:10.1007/s002650050393. ISSN 0340-5443. JSTOR 4601395.
- ^ Sertie, Rogerio; Kang, Minsung; Antipenko, Jessica P.; Liu, Xiaobing; Maianu, Lidia; Habegger, Kirk; Garvey, W. Timothy (August 2020). "In utero nutritional stress as a cause of obesity: Altered relationship between body fat, leptin levels and caloric intake in offspring into adulthood". Life Sciences. 254: 117764. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117764. ISSN 0024-3205. PMC 8513136. PMID 32407841.
- ^ Anderson, James L.; Waller, D Kim; Canfield, Mark A.; Shaw, Gary M.; Watkins, Margaret L.; Werler, Martha M. (2005-01). "Maternal Obesity, Gestational Diabetes, and Central Nervous System Birth Defects:". Epidemiology. 16 (1): 87–92. doi:10.1097/01.ede.0000147122.97061.bb. ISSN 1044-3983.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Type 2 diabetes - Symptoms and causes". Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ Salvia, Meg G.; Quatromoni, Paula A. (June 2023). "Behavioral approaches to nutrition and eating patterns for managing type 2 diabetes: A review". American Journal of Medicine Open. 9: 100034. doi:10.1016/j.ajmo.2023.100034. ISSN 2667-0364.
- ^ Visvanathan, Rizliya; Williamson, Gary (September 2021). "Effect of citrus fruit and juice consumption on risk of developing type 2 diabetes: Evidence on polyphenols from epidemiological and intervention studies". Trends in Food Science & Technology. 115: 133–146. doi:10.1016/j.tifs.2021.06.038. ISSN 0924-2244.
