hope
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Here is a very nice study that has been done via joint research by the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics and the Department of Biology, at McGill University, Canada.
Together the team have been conducting epigenetic experiments on Camponotus ants, with regard to size. As there is little genetic influence regarding size in the worker ants, being as they are so closely related, the team were able to focus on the effects of epigenetic factors creating size variation.
They say by increasing the degree of DNA methylation of a gene involved in controlling growth called Egfr, they were able to create a spectrum of sizes in the worker ants, despite the lack of genetic difference between them. The more they methylated the gene the larger the ant.
Sebastian Alvarado PhD co-author of the study said, "By modifying the methylation of one particular gene, that affects others, in this case the Egfr gene, we could affect all the other genes involved in cellular growth. We were working with ants, but it was a bit like discovering that we could create shorter or taller human beings."
Rajendhran Rajakumar, first co-author, said for other complex traits, whether they are involved in the growth of cancer cells in humans or fat cells in chickens, what we now know is, in each case, once we have discovered the key genetic position that is affected by epigenetic factors we can influence how much or how little the gene is expressed, with potentially far reaching results.
I keep being logged out from here so have to write quickly but here is the link for anyone who wishes to read further.
http://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/honey-i-shrunk-ants-how-environment-controls-size-243448
Together the team have been conducting epigenetic experiments on Camponotus ants, with regard to size. As there is little genetic influence regarding size in the worker ants, being as they are so closely related, the team were able to focus on the effects of epigenetic factors creating size variation.
They say by increasing the degree of DNA methylation of a gene involved in controlling growth called Egfr, they were able to create a spectrum of sizes in the worker ants, despite the lack of genetic difference between them. The more they methylated the gene the larger the ant.
Sebastian Alvarado PhD co-author of the study said, "By modifying the methylation of one particular gene, that affects others, in this case the Egfr gene, we could affect all the other genes involved in cellular growth. We were working with ants, but it was a bit like discovering that we could create shorter or taller human beings."
Rajendhran Rajakumar, first co-author, said for other complex traits, whether they are involved in the growth of cancer cells in humans or fat cells in chickens, what we now know is, in each case, once we have discovered the key genetic position that is affected by epigenetic factors we can influence how much or how little the gene is expressed, with potentially far reaching results.
I keep being logged out from here so have to write quickly but here is the link for anyone who wishes to read further.
http://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/honey-i-shrunk-ants-how-environment-controls-size-243448