#genetic inheritance

[science-sculpt]

Epigenetics: A Journey Through Inheritance Beyond Genes

For centuries, scientists have been fascinated by the mysteries of heredity and how traits are passed down from generation to generation. DNA, the molecule that stores our genetic code, was once thought to be the sole determinant of our characteristics. However, a new frontier in biology, revealing a captivating layer of complexity beyond the DNA sequence itself: Epigenetics.

What is Epigenetics?

The term "epigenetics" was first coined in the 1940s by British biologist Conrad Waddington, but it wasn't until the late 20th century that its significance truly blossomed. Epigenetics, literally meaning "above genetics," refers to the study of heritable changes in gene expression that occur without alterations to the DNA sequence itself. Imagine DNA as the musical score, but epigenetics are the conductor and musicians who determine how the music is played. Through chemical modifications and adjustments to the proteins around DNA, epigenetics dictates which genes are turned on or off, influencing how cells function and ultimately shaping our health, development, and even behavior. Think of your DNA as the hardware: it contains the basic instructions for building and running your body. But epigenetics acts like the software, fine-tuning those instructions and determining which genes get turned on or off at specific times and in specific cells. These modifications, like chemical tags or changes in the packaging of DNA, don't alter the underlying code itself, but they can have a profound impact on how it's read and interpreted.

The Key Players:

DNA methylation: This process involves adding a methyl group to DNA, essentially silencing the gene it's attached to. Imagine it like putting a dimmer switch on a light bulb.

Histone modifications: Histones are proteins that package DNA, and changes in their structure can make genes more or less accessible to the cellular machinery needed for expression. Think of it like adjusting the curtains around a window - open wide for full light, slightly closed for filtered light.

Non-coding RNAs: These are molecules that don't code for proteins but can regulate gene expression in various ways. They're like the backstage crew in a play, ensuring everything runs smoothly.

The Power of Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic regulation plays a crucial role in various biological processes, including:

Development: During embryonic development, different cell types emerge from the same DNA blueprint by activating or silencing specific gene sets through epigenetic modifications.

Cellular differentiation: Specialized cells like muscle or nerve cells have unique functions due to differences in their active genes, controlled by epigenetic mechanisms.

Learning and memory: Epigenetic changes in brain cells are thought to be essential for learning and forming memories.

Aging: As we age, our epigenome accumulates changes that can contribute to age-related decline and disease.

Environmental influences: Diet, exercise, stress, and exposure to toxins can leave epigenetic marks on our genes, potentially impacting our health and even the health of future generations.

Epigenetics reminds us that we are not simply products of our genes. Our environment, choices, and experiences leave their mark, shaping who we are and potentially influencing our children's health. This deeper understanding of ourselves opens doors for self-awareness, empowerment, and potentially reshaping our narratives – not just as individuals, but as a species with the potential to leave a healthier legacy for generations to come.

#life science #biology #science sculpt #molecular biology #biotechnology #epigenetics #daily dose of science #dna #genetic inheritance #genetics #decoding dna #genetic code #science #double helix

[omg-snakes]

you mentioned previously that sunglow amels are no longer a thing because of bad breeders- can you expand on this? thanks, snake noob (snoob)

Hello friend!

The shortest possible (grossly oversimplified for brevity) answer is that there are two pathways by which notable color morphs in corn snakes can occur: genetic mutation and selective breeding to enhance natural variation. Mutation is when a specific gene affects one or more specific pigments in a snake's cells. Amelanism is a really great example since it's a simple recessive gene. If the correct genetic "switches" are flipped in a snake's DNA, then the snake has no melanin and is therefore red, orange, yellow, and white with no black pigment. It's a true/false scenario.

The other color morph pathway is selective breeding, where many incomplete dominant genes are at play simultaneously, and the snakes that display the most desired traits are bred to amplify those traits. There's always natural variation among offspring, even if they have the same phenotype. Two amelanistic snakes from the same clutch might look a bit different even though both are definitely Amels.

Think of it like you have a garden full of pink flowers, and some of them are slightly, slightly more pink tinging on red. You decide to put the reddest-flowered plants together and only plant their seeds next season, and then choose the reddest-flowered offspring for the season after that, and so on until you have all red flowers!

Several popular morphs and all of the locality morphs are the result of this type of selective breeding. Unfortunately, these do require conscious and intentional breeding to maintain the look of these lines. Since they're not "on/off" genes, there are no heterozygous individuals and a selectively bred morph won't "pop up" suddenly by surprise in a clutch the way recessive gene mutations sometimes do.

Sunglow Amel is noteworthy for super bright orange coloration with low contrast, high saturation, and absent saddle borders. You can outcross a Sunglow (or any selectively-bred morph, they don't have to be inbred), but you'd need to choose snakes with bright color and minimal borders and then breed those back into the line or it'll basically undo the work of all previous selection. To go back to our garden analogy, if you took one of the red flowers you'd worked so hard to develop and pollinated them repeatedly over generations with the original pink-flowered plants, you'd get less and less red and eventually regular pink flowers.

Reverse Okeetee is another selectively-bred Amel morph, which focuses on bold, thick saddle borders and high saddle to background color contrast. Think of these like white flowers that were selectively-bred from the pink flowers in our garden.

So what happens if you breed a Sunglow Amel with low contrast and no borders (red flower) and a Reverse Okeetee with high contrast and thick borders (white flower)?

You get something in the middle: an average Amel (original normal pink flower).

A bad breeder who doesn't understand inheritance or genetics might do this exact thing and try to sell their regular Amels as "het Sunglow, het Okeetee."

I have literally seen these for sale recently.

#snake #snakes #reptile #reptiles #reptiblr #corn snake #corn snakes #answers to questions #text post #long post #corn snake morphs #genetic mutation #genetic inheritance #again this is extremely oversimplified #not the whole story at all

[faintingheroine]

From Robert Finn’s The Early Turkish Novel: 1872-1900

I find the part about Bihter and her parents both extremely fascinating and quite regressive. It is fascinating that what causes Bihter’s death ultimately is not her “heightened sexual inclinations” she inherited from her mother but her “sense of propriety” that she inherited from her father. Her father died because he couldn’t handle being a cuckold. Bihter dies because she can’t handle being a fallen woman in the eyes of society, she has a “sense of propriety” unlike her mother who is far more daring. (You can see Bihter’s “sense of propriety”, her caring about standards, both in her objecting to Nihal’s Japanese costume in Chapter 12 and in her suicide). Firdevs can live because she is, to put it simply, shameless.

But of course this is very regressive. Neither libido nor a sense of “honor” are genetic. Aşk-ı Memnu is often considered a Naturalist novel precisely because of this reason despite its sumptuous rich-people setting. But it sounds quite sexist and late 19th century to us now.

But, Aşk-ı Memnu is a great novel and like all great novels it leaves a door open. The one who blames her immorality on her mother’s genes is Bihter herself. It is her way of deflecting the blame of her own actions. In another interpretation Firdevs’s past is responsible for Bihter’s tragedy, but not because of her genes, rather because of her emotionally cruel parenting and her actions ruining Bihter’s marriage prospects. Perhaps Firdevs herself wanting to marry for riches can also be added to this. In wanting to marry for money just like her mother, Bihter reveals that she adopted Firdevs’s way of seeing the world right from the first chapter of the novel, even if she has a very low view of her mother.

How does this relate to Nihal’s own similarity to her mother? After all the book does reveal that these two young women’s similarities to their mothers are linked to each other by having Bihter’s first sentence in the novel be about Nihal’s physical similarity to her mother. The narration does say that Nihal inherited a “congenital weakness” from her mother in Mademoiselle’s thoughts. The genetic similarity discourse is admittedly less sophisticated in this case since we don’t really know Nihal’s mother. But Nihal’s mother was a genuinely sick woman whereas I think it can be argued that Nihal’s sickliness is psychosomatic.

So, in both cases the mother-daughter “genetic inheritance” can be more about social influence than literal genes. The book does have that door open.

#aşk ı memnu #aşk-ı memnu #bihter #nihal #firdevs #nihal’s mother #robert finn #naturalism #genetic inheritance

[ecomehdi]

Maternal Allergies Unveiled: IU Groundbreaking Study on How They Impact Children 2023

Imagine a world where allergies don’t pass like an unwanted family heirloom. Well, guess what? Indiana University (IU) is taking the helm in unraveling the mystery of how Allergies from mothers might be impacting their little ones. In this article, we embark on a journey through the latest grant-funded study that promises to shed light on this age-old conundrum. Understanding the Allergy…

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#Allergy Myths #Allergy Prevention #Child Allergy Impact #environmental factors #Expecting Mothers #Genetic Inheritance #IU Research #Maternal Allergies #public health

[breezybirdfarms]

Hatching Auto-Sexing Day-Old Heritage Chicks: The Role of Plumage in Sex Determination

Hatching auto-sexing day-old heritage chicks is an intriguing process that relies on the examination of plumage patterns to determine their sex. How plumage plays a vital role in sex determination and why alternative methods are ineffective for sexing day-old heritage chickens is to be unveiled.

Heritage Chicks and Auto-Sexing

Heritage chicks, offspring of traditional poultry breeds, possess historical significance and unique characteristics. Auto-sexing is a method that allows breeders to determine the sex of chicks soon after hatching by analyzing their visible plumage patterns. This approach eliminates the need for invasive procedures or time-consuming DNA testing.

Auto sexing Bielefelder chicks

Plumage Patterns and Sex Determination

The arrangement and coloring of feathers, known as plumage patterns, play a significant role in sex determination in auto-sexing chicks. Certain heritage breeds exhibit distinct and sex-specific plumage patterns, making it possible to differentiate between males and females from day one.

Genetic Inheritance and Plumage Patterns

The appearance of plumage patterns in heritage chicks is a result of genetic inheritance from their parents. Understanding the genetic principles behind these patterns is crucial for breeders to make informed decisions when selecting breeding pairs to enhance desirable traits in subsequent generations.

The Limitations of Sexing Day-Old Heritage Chickens

Sexing day-old heritage chickens using alternative methods, such as vent sexing or DNA testing, is challenging and often impractical. Vent sexing requires delicate and invasive procedures, while DNA testing is time-consuming and expensive. Auto-sexing through plumage patterns offers a reliable and non-invasive alternative for accurate sex determination.

Phenotypic Traits and Breed Conservation

Phenotypic traits, including plumage patterns, are observable characteristics that can be used to identify specific traits in heritage chicks. By focusing on auto-sexing and selecting individuals with desired plumage patterns, breeders contribute to the conservation and preservation of valuable heritage poultry breeds.

Sustainable Farming and Poultry Breeding

Hatching auto-sexing day-old heritage chicks plays a vital role in sustainable farming and poultry breeding practices. By understanding the role genetics plays in sex determination and utilizing auto-sexing techniques, breeders can optimize their breeding programs, maintain genetic diversity, and ensure the long-term sustainability of heritage poultry breeds.

Advantages of Auto-Sexing

Auto-sexing offers numerous advantages for breeders. It saves time, as the sex of chicks can be determined soon after hatching, allowing for efficient flock management. Additionally, breeders can selectively pair individuals based on desirable plumage patterns, enhancing the quality of the flock and breeding programs. It is advisable to use a no kill approach for any undesired chicks.

Promoting Genetic Diversity

Auto-sexing methods actively promote genetic diversity within heritage poultry breeds. By making informed decisions about breeding pairs based on plumage patterns, breeders can maintain a healthy gene pool, reducing the risk of inbreeding and preserving the unique traits of these cherished heritage breeds.

Hatching auto-sexing day-old heritage chicks through the examination of plumage patterns is a remarkable process that allows breeders to efficiently determine the sex of chicks and contribute to sustainable farming practices. By embracing this method and understanding the vital role plumage plays in sex determination, breeders can preserve the valuable heritage of poultry breeds for generations to come.

Candace Breezy Bird Farms

#Heritage Chicks #Auto-Sexing #Hatching #Plumage Patterns #Sex Determination #Phenotypic Traits #Breed Conservation #Sustainable Farming #Poultry Breeding #Genetic Inheritance

[canisalbus]

Hypothetically if. If they had a kiddo. A puppy. Does that hypothetical child have a design in your genius artist head anywhere

.

#hmm #no probably not #they can't have biological children #and I doubt they'd ever end up adopting either #it would be just a little depressing to design a character that can't ever be used #and even if you did it just because you wanted to see how their genetics could potentially mix #Machete is albinistic and unless his offspring inherited the condition (rendering them fully white like him) #they would have completely different colors #so it wouldn't be gold + white but gold + mystery mix #right? #answered #anonymous

[cemeterything]

i could get so much more done if i was less sleepy but unfortunately i have a terminal genetic case of teenager who thinks going to bed before midnight is for losers

#🐉 #pretty sure it might actually be genetic or at least inherited because pretty much everyone on my dads side of the family is the same

[zealouswerewolfcollector]

The Fall of the House of Usher really said bisexuality is hereditary, while evil is shaped by having too much money.

#four out of six kids inherited the queer genes from auntie usher #the fall of the house of usher #the fall of the house of usher spoilers #tfothou spoilers #it also said we condemn the future generations because of our greed #and many other things #but genetic bisexuality is my main takeaway

[multifandommenace]

Murtagh: Wow, all the evidence points to this being a really nasty cult lead by a horrifyingly powerful witch, but I'm sure I won't need backup. After all, I've got these horrible dreams of the world ending and there's a mystery to solve!

Bachel the moment he gets too close to answers:

#the inheritance cycle #memes #murtagh #murtagh spoilers #seriously he's starting to show that some of the dumbassery must have been genetic because he was starting on some eragon level shit #like my dude please chill and get literally any sort of backup

[friedfriedchicken]

I did some sprite shenanigans with the dad and son <3 I am so so so insane for the fact that they're matching omg

I'm definitely not a master at putting these together but I have a feral need to see them reunited.

#I was so conflicted by the fact that if I made Morgan canon sized then the edits would look so off 😔 #My son inherited his cult peepaw's height genetics fr #Morgan #Chrom #Exalt Family #FriedArt #Not really my art but it goes in that tag now #FE13 #FEH #Fire Emblem #Múspell #Respendent #It's 4:30 AM baybeeee let's gooo

[lesbiogay]

"online spaces seem to define lesbianism as a hatred for men rather than a love for women" fuck yeah man and it's so fucking tiring. Isn't bioessentialism exhausting-

"so it really annoys me when people can't separate men from lesbians entirely. Like if I see another 'this male character is a he/him lesbian' post I'm gonna kms" oh! Ok you're insane.

#this is beat for beat a post i had to see with my own eyes not too long ago #congratulations you really do hate men still and its just repackaged as 'protecting the lesbian community' #i didnt even check if op was a terf i just fucking blocked them and moved on bc at this point. walks like a duck etc #like some of u guys really need to learn that radfem ideology is bioessentialist nonsense about vitriolic hate for all men #or those perceived as men #and not to be a 'not all men' truther but u need to watch yourself. are you complaining about the patriarchy #or just reinforcing that toxic masculinity is an inherit genetic trait rather than learned behavior #again i will sound pedantic. but if i must say it i will say it. this isnt misandry sis its walking a tightrope over a tar pit of lies. #mspec gay #mspec lesbian #lesbiogay #bi gay

[ruthlesslistener]

I have a question, who do you think of the *Pale Siblings take after the most of their respective parents in terms of personality/mannerisms?

(Hollow, Hornet, Ghost)

It's less about who takes after their parents the most, and more which traits are inherited from each! Nature vs Nurture is a complex mix of both elements, but a lot of the time, one's basal behaviors can be attributed to parental inheritence. Its super super cool, and while I can't explain the exact genetics of it, know there is a genetic componant there and that inheritence patterns are thus randomized

[Coughs] anyways

Hornet: Pretty even blend of Herrah and PK. She has Herrah's stern determination, ferocity in the face of danger, and desire to see things through to the bitter end, but she inherited PK's cold, calculative mind, which makes her excellent at solo survival and crafting, but terrible with emotions and people

Hollow: Takes after their mom in personality more than their dad, actually- they inherited more of his physical traits. Like their mother, they are naturally calm, patient, and intruigued by people, but once that patience wears thin, their temper is long-burning and leaves a grudge. Also has a very keen sense of the environment around them, to the point where sight is almost secondary to worldsense. Unlike their mother, however, they have an intense desire to protect the people of Hallownest specifically, which comes from their father...as well as all of their mental illnesses. Their depression, anxiety, self-hatred and lack of self-worth is 100% inherited from him- he just made it worse

Ghost: Takes after their dad more, actually. Like the Pale King, they are intensely curious, have an intense desire to fix things, a stubbornnes that cannot be quelled (though their mother is similarily stubborn), has a strong sense of white and black morality, wants to prove themselves, and loves so deeply and so intensely that it would almost be dangerous to everyone around them- if they weren't already well-versed in what agony such love could bring. What makes them different, however, is that they lack PK's rigid sense of structure, inability to change, and potent self-hatred, which means they use those traits to take down boundaries rather than cage themselves in a maze of hopeless, impossibly self-destructive expectations. That's not to say that they haven't inherited qualities from their mother as well- their social nature speaks to that- but the ones that are the most apparent seem to be inherited from their father, and indeed might give us insight into what a young Pale Wyrm might have been like (a terrifying thought)

#hollow knight #the hollow knight #the pure vessel #hornet hk #little ghost #the knight #i dont wanna sound like im reducing them to just pk #bc they aren't #but pk's inherited traits sure do shine loudly in these guys #*genetics* #anon #reply

[dk-thrive]

In each of my cells Dad and Mom are still doing their jobs. As always, Dad says yes, Mom no. I split the difference and feel deep sympathy for my children.

— Jim Harrison, in Braided Creek, A Conversation in Poetry, with Ted Kooser, Copper Canyon Press, 2003

#mother #father #inherit #genetic #parent #scold #Jim Harrison #Ted Kooser

[celibate-batjokes-mpreg-yaoi-911]

There is no justifiable reason to have children in the modern era. None. In twenty years, the Earth will be shitting itself on a daily basis due to unchecked climate change and whatever child I decide to put into the world would ask me why I did it knowing that I KNEW what was in store for them. "I wanted to experience the wonders of female anatomy", "baby fever", "you were an accident", "I wanted a little bit more of your father in the world", "it's a feminist act", "my bad, I thought everyone was catastrophizing", and my all time favorite "we need to have more people in the world to fix the issues caused by previous generations" are fucking STUPID and I wouldn't be surprised in the fucking least if they chose to kill themself afterward.

god let me overshare for a sec. for some reason my mother decided to have the children of some guy who was like dying already which obviously resulted in her ending up as a single mother with 30 mental illnesses who could barely feed us and was just a horrible mother altogether and i remember feeling the same thing like Why. why on earth would she do that. and once when i got brave enough i did ask her and she said "i just loved babies so much" and like. damn thats crazy u really created 2 entire humans whose life u ruined bc babies were just soo cute u couldnt help urself? thats so great im so honoured to be alive here on planet earth truly

#the fact that our father died from a genetic disorder his father also had just makes it extra funny. what do u do when ur husband is dying #from a disorder he inherited? #U gotta try to pass the disorder on!!!! #ask

[despazito]

Wait, which prominent dino artist believes in hereditary iq???

prominent paleoartist Emily Willoughby believes in IQ inheritance and race science bs :/

#i think one was even trying to infer genetic inheritance and political leanings #too far gone

[axewchao]

Hey! Can I just say I love your pokemon artwork. Especially Valerie, since sceptile is my favorite pokemon. I like the way you did the head fringe, kinda looks like a pair of ears.

Aww, thanks! ^w^

I'm glad to hear that you saw her crest (fringe? Which is it, I'm genuinely asking) as ears, because that's exactly what I wanted them to look like!

She's got Ampharos genes, and I wanted it to show through different parts of her body, most notably her head.

That being said, appearance is all she got; no affinity/immunity to Electric-type moves or anything like that. Hell, she doesn't even have Thunder Punch for an egg move.

Which sucks, but she won't complain... too much =w="

#pokemon #pokémon #Sceptile #Valerie Sceptile #genetics in pokemon is a pretty neat subject to fiddle with ain't it? #inherited traits that you can make either subtle or as plain as day #and that can *still* change depending on each evo stage #take Val for example; her Ampharos traits are clearer as a Treecko and Sceptile- #but while she's a Grovyle they're harder to notice #haven't drawn her as a Grovyle (and never posted the one time I drew her as a Treecko) but you get the idea- #axewchaoscribble #axewchao answers #atxin1