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CHEM 3212-01 Biochemistry - AY2024-T4-Discussion Assignment Unit 2

Elective

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16 views

CHEM 3212-01 Biochemistry - AY2024-T4-Discussion Assignment Unit 2

Elective

Uploaded by

fessywan
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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CHEM 3212-01 Biochemistry - AY2024-T4

Discussion Assignment Unit 2.

Environmental Impact on Gene Expression.

The regulation of gene expression is a fundamental process in biology, crucial for


determining cellular identity and function. While the classical view of gene regulation
focuses on the sequence-specific interactions of transcription factors with DNA
(deoxyribonucleic acid), emerging research underscores the pivotal role of epigenetic
mechanisms in modulating gene expression in response to environmental cues.
Epigenetics refers to heritable changes in gene expression that occur without alterations
to the DNA sequence itself, often influenced by external factors such as diet, lifestyle,
and exposure to environmental pollutants. Environmental stimuli can induce epigenetic
modifications through DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA
(ribonucleic acid) regulation. These modifications alter chromatin structure, influencing
the accessibility of DNA to transcriptional machinery and regulatory proteins (Ahern et
al., 2018).

One example of how environmental factors can influence gene expression through
nucleosome remodeling and contribute to human disease is in the context of epigenetic
modifications associated with cancer, more so the environmental influence on histone
modifications and cancer.

The environmental stimulus such as exposure to environmental toxins or pollutants such


as tobacco smoke lead to alterations in gene expression patterns linked to cancer
development.

Mechanism: Environmental factors like tobacco smoke contain carcinogenic


compounds that can induce changes in histone modifications by causing alterations in
histone acetylation or methylation patterns. For instance, tobacco smoke exposure has
been associated with increased histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity, leading to global
histone hypoacetylation, which is a hallmark of many cancers (Sundar et al., 2014).

Resulting Effect: Changes in histone modifications affect chromatin structure and


accessibility of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) to transcription factors. It leads to
abnormal gene expression patterns, such as activating cancer-causing genes or
suppressing genes that prevent tumors from forming.

Scientific Evidence:
A study by Zong et al. (2019) demonstrated that exposure to tobacco smoke leads to
altered histone modifications, particularly hypoacetylation, in lung epithelial cells. This
epigenetic alteration was associated with increased expression of genes involved in cell
proliferation and survival, contributing to lung cancer progression.

Review Article:

A comprehensive review of Jones and Baylin's (2002) article "The fundamental role of
epigenetic events in cancer." Nature Reviews Genetics. 2002; 3(6):415-428 discusses
how environmental factors can lead to epigenetic alterations, including changes in DNA
methylation and histone modifications, which play crucial roles in cancer initiation and
progression.

These studies highlight how environmental stimuli, like tobacco smoke, can induce
epigenetic changes through nucleosome remodeling, thereby influencing gene
expression and contributing to the pathogenesis of diseases such as cancer.
Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing targeted therapeutic
approaches to reversing or preventing environmentally induced epigenetic alterations
associated with disease.

432 Words.

References:

Jones, P. A., & Baylin, S. B. (2002). The fundamental role of epigenetic events in

cancer. Nature Reviews Genetics, 3(6), 415–428. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrg816

Sundar, I. K., Nevid, M. Z., Friedman, A. E., & Rahman, I. (2014). Cigarette smoke

induces distinct chromatin histone modifications in lung cells: implication in

pathogenesis of COPD and lung cancer. Journal of Proteome Research, 13(2), 982–996.

https://doi.org/10.1021/pr400998n

Zong, D., Liu, X., Li, J., Ouyang, R., & Chen, P. (2019). The role of cigarette smoke-

induced epigenetic alterations in inflammation. Epigenetics & Chromatin, 12(1).

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13072-019-0311-8

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