Molecular Mechanisms of Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance

Abstract

Epigenetic gene regulation refers to changes in the expression of genes that are not associated with changes in the underlying DNA sequence yet are heritable through cell division. Epigenetic gene regulation is fundamental in the development of multicellular organisms as it enables different cells to express different sets of genes despite identical DNA sequence. Recently, it has become increasingly clear that some epigenetic changes can be propagated across generations, known as transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Despite many striking examples of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance phenomena, the mechanisms underlying them are still unclear. Even more debatable is whether transgenerational epigenetic inheritance has an adaptive role either in short-term responses to the environment or in long-term evolutionary processes. Here I will discuss how insights from model organisms, including the mouse, nematode worms, and flies, have enhanced our understanding of the mechanisms of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. I will then explore the extent to which these experimental systems support an adaptive role for transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Finally, I will discuss the potential significance of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance processes for understanding human disease, behaviour and evolution, and cultural memory.