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Glite Dictionary
epigenome

epigenome

1 9.9
All the chemical marks on DNA and its proteins that tell cells which genes to turn on or off
  • noun
  • /ˌɛpɪˈdʒiːnoʊm/
  • Specialized
: epigenoma
  • The epigenome consists of all the chemical changes to DNA that determine how genes are expressed in a cell.
  • epigenome-wide methylation
  • epigenome-wide association study
  • epigenome-wide modifications

There's no heritable epigenome here, nothing whatsoever.

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Examples

  • It's also easier to change your microbiome than it is to change your epigenome in a predictable way.

  • And in fact, studies are showing us that our epigenome is actually affecting what we're passing off to our offspring.

  • So all of a sudden your epigenome is becoming confused.

  • We talk about the epigenome a lot in aging.

  • Once we understand how our epigenome influences us, we might be able to influence it too.

  • So the key to this sort of breakdown of the epigenome is DNA damage.

  • Little is known about what normal epigenomes look like.

    Academic text (2012)

  • All these things wash over our genes and regulate the epigenome, which is modifiable.

    Megyn Kelly

  • Published evidence, mainly from non-brain tissues, indicates BPA may have the ability to affect the epigenome, leading to long-lasting changes in gene expression.

    Academic text (2012)

  • Our study of maternal smoking in relation to epigenome-wide DNA methylation in newborns in the MoBa cohort is the largest and most extensive that we know of.

    Academic text (2012)

Surface Forms

epigenome singular
epigenomes plural

Morphology

epigenome = genome (semi-transparent) = epi + genome

The scientific prefix 'epi-' combines with 'genome' in a regular way, but the specialized biological meaning requires domain knowledge beyond a general B1 learner.

Etymology

Epigenome combines epi- (meaning 'on' or 'above') and genome (meaning 'the full set of genes'), so it describes the 'marks on' our genes. These chemical 'marks' help turn genes on and off, which is why the epigenome controls how cells act.