When James Watson and Francis Crick first discovered the structure of DNA in 1953 they thought they had discovered the secret of life. This complex nucleic acid was capable of storing all of the information necessary to produce and maintain a living organism. The science of genetics was born and moved toward a complete understanding of the gene culminating in the genome project which mapped the human genome in 1993.
So definitive was this thinking that it was deemed the Central Dogma of Biology. In other words the command post of DNA sent its orders in a one-way direction--from DNA to RNA to protein to the rest of the body. It was thought that the information in DNA was locked in and would take many years of natural selection to change. You were essentially stuck with your DNA. Sentenced to live according to your genes.
This thinking is now changing with the exciting new science of epigenetics. Scientists are now discovering a new system in our cells that affects the way the information in DNA is expressed. In other words there may be a complex information system that affects the information flow from DNA to the cell without affecting the DNA itself. This system is affected by behavioral and environmental changes. This means that you may be able to change the information flow from DNA without actually changing the structure of DNA.
This idea has widespread ramifications. It is now thought that chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease are not solely caused by genes but also have a strong behavioral component. Information not only travels from DNA to cells but can also travel back to DNA from outside sources. There is a feedback loop of information flowing to and from DNA. The system consists of more than a static one-way flow of information but is more holistic in nature involving feedback from the organism.
A practical implication of this concept is the feedback from behaviors. For example, following a healthy lifestyle can not only provide benefits to your wellbeing but these benefits can also be passed on to your offspring. We have been touting the benefits of following a healthy lifestyle for years but until recently no one knew that actual genes could be turned on or off.
This opens up a whole new realm of thinking. In other words someone may have a gene for cancer or heart disease but it is possible for that gene never to be turned on. I personally find this information hopeful in finding new ways to live a healthy life and to heal. We are not slaves to our genes after all.
So definitive was this thinking that it was deemed the Central Dogma of Biology. In other words the command post of DNA sent its orders in a one-way direction--from DNA to RNA to protein to the rest of the body. It was thought that the information in DNA was locked in and would take many years of natural selection to change. You were essentially stuck with your DNA. Sentenced to live according to your genes.
This thinking is now changing with the exciting new science of epigenetics. Scientists are now discovering a new system in our cells that affects the way the information in DNA is expressed. In other words there may be a complex information system that affects the information flow from DNA to the cell without affecting the DNA itself. This system is affected by behavioral and environmental changes. This means that you may be able to change the information flow from DNA without actually changing the structure of DNA.
This idea has widespread ramifications. It is now thought that chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease are not solely caused by genes but also have a strong behavioral component. Information not only travels from DNA to cells but can also travel back to DNA from outside sources. There is a feedback loop of information flowing to and from DNA. The system consists of more than a static one-way flow of information but is more holistic in nature involving feedback from the organism.
A practical implication of this concept is the feedback from behaviors. For example, following a healthy lifestyle can not only provide benefits to your wellbeing but these benefits can also be passed on to your offspring. We have been touting the benefits of following a healthy lifestyle for years but until recently no one knew that actual genes could be turned on or off.
This opens up a whole new realm of thinking. In other words someone may have a gene for cancer or heart disease but it is possible for that gene never to be turned on. I personally find this information hopeful in finding new ways to live a healthy life and to heal. We are not slaves to our genes after all.