This is the definition of epigenome I found – ‘The epigenome is made up of chemical compounds and proteins that can attach to DNA and direct such actions as turning genes on or off’
What is responsible for creating the chemical compounds and proteins that are apart of the epigenome?
I remember proteins are created from the DNA.
In: Biology
DNA is your blueprints to make you either you (versus a chicken as an example). It’s written in a simple language that your individual cell knows how to read and follow, much like an instruction manual.
Here’s the kicker though: languages have stuff besides words that help us follow directions. Think: giant bolding and colors for important stuff, highlighting words, or even someone crossing out instructions that don’t work. That’s epigenetics. It’s the add-ons, that aren’t the instructions themselves, but add on top of the instructions that help your cell follow the instructions better.
Second part of your question: what is responsible? Still under investigation, but some things are inherited from your parents (so if your parents have an instruction manual that highlights special details in parts of “Chapter 7:How to Make a Kidney”, you probably do as well). Some things are somehow programmed in depending on your age (example: once you made a kidney, “Chapter 7” isn’t useful anymore, so your cell will cross out that chapter so you don’t use it again).
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