Rethinking the Genetic Theory of Evolution

Rethinking the Genetic Theory of Inheritance
January 18th, 2009 in Medicine & Health / Genetics
Scientists at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) have
detected evidence that DNA may not be the only carrier of heritable
information; a secondary molecular mechanism called epigenetics may
also
account for some inherited traits and diseases. These findings
challenge the
fundamental principles of genetics and inheritance, and potentially
provide
a new insight into the primary causes of human diseases.
Your mother's eyes, your father's height, your predisposition to
disease--
these are traits inherited from your parents. Traditionally,
'heritability'
is estimated by comparing monozygotic (genetically identical) twins
to
dizygotic (genetically different) twins. A trait or disease is called
heritable if monozygotic twins are more similar to each other than
dizygotic
twins. In molecular terms, heritability has traditionally been
attributed to
variations in the DNA sequence.
[Video presentation available at the website
http://www.physorg.com/news151507849.html ]
Dr. Art Petronis, head of the Krembil Family Epigenetics Laboratory at
the
Center for Addiction and Mental Health, discusses new evidence that
DNA may
not be the only carrier of heritable information; a secondary
molecular
mechanism called epigenetics may also account for some inherited
traits and
diseases. These findings challenge the fundamental principles of
genetics
and inheritance, and potentially provide a new insight into the
primary
causes of human diseases. Video: Center for Addiction and Mental
Health
CAMH's Dr. Art Petronis, head of the Krembil Family Epigenetics
Laboratory,
and his team conducted a comprehensive epigenetic analysis of 100 sets
of
monozygotic and dizygotic twins in the first study of its kind. Said
Dr.
Petronis, "We investigated molecules that attach to DNA and regulate
various
gene activities. These DNA modifications are called epigenetic
factors."
The CAMH study showed that epigenetic factors - acting independently
from
DNA - were more similar in monozygotic twins than dizygotic twins.
This
finding suggests that there is a secondary molecular mechanism of
heredity.
The epigenetic heritability may help explain currently unclear issues
in
human disease, such as the presence of a disease in only one
monozygotic
twin, the different susceptibility of males (e.g. to autism) and
females
(e.g. to lupus), significant fluctuations in the course of a disease
(e.g.
bipolar disorder, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis),
among
numerous others.
"Traditionally, it has been assumed that only the DNA sequence can
account
for the capability of normal traits and diseases to be inherited,"
says Dr.
Petronis. "Over the last several decades, there has been an enormous
effort
to identify specific DNA sequence changes predisposing people to
psychiatric, neurodegenerative, malignant, metabolic, and autoimmune
diseases, but with only moderate success. Our findings represent a new
way
to look for the molecular cause of disease, and eventually may lead
to
improved diagnostics and treatment."
An advance online publication of this study will be available on the
Nature
Genetics website on January 18, 2009.
Source: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
http://www.physorg.com/news151507849.html
Posted by
Robert Karl Stonjek

This is just another example of the epigenetic control of individual
development,
of epigenetic inheritance, of epigenetic control of gene expression
and the subordinate
nature of genetic inheritance in relation to epigenetic inheritance.
Numerous examples of the epigenetic control of individual
development, evolution, speciation and
other circumevolutionary phenomena can be found in my recent book
Epigenetic Principles of Evolution
or, more conveniently, in my website
http://www.nelsoncabej.com (http://www.epigeneticscomesofage.com)
How long can the neoDarwinian theory ignore the existence and the role
of epigenetic inheritance
in evolution? Isn't it time to end this ostrich attitude?

Nelson Cabej

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