Contact: Karen Silver
silverk@mail.nih.gov
301-435-2435
NIH/Office of the Director

A Scientific Illustration of How Epigenetic Mechanisms Can Affect Health

Caption: Epigenetic mechanisms are affected by several factors and processes including development in utero and in childhood, environmental chemicals, drugs and pharmaceuticals, aging, and diet. DNA methylation is what occurs when methyl groups, an epigenetic factor found in some dietary sources, can tag DNA and activate or repress genes. Histones are proteins around which DNA can wind for compaction and gene regulation. Histone modification occurs when the binding of epigenetic factors to histone

Credit: NIH Roadmap for Medical Research

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Related news release: NIH announces funding for new epigenomics initiative