Epigenetika i evolucija

undergraduate thesis

• Title (english): Epigenetics and evolution
• Author: Jelena Ivčević
• Mentor: Damjan Franjević (mentor)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Science; (Department of Biology); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2016, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Biology

Abstract

Epigenetika je znanost o promjenama fenotipa koje nisu posljedica varijabilnosti genetičkog koda već različite ekspresije gena. Dok ljudski genom sadrži 25,000 gena, ljudski epigenom sadrži zasad još nepoznati broj epigenetičkih oznaka i mehanizama od kojih su najbolje proučene DNA metilacija te kovalentne modifikacije histona. Nedvojben je njihov utjecaj na diferencijaciju stanica i razvoj organizama tijekom embriogeneze, ali i za života. Epigenetičke promjene su često rezultat promjena okolišnih čimbenika te u nekim slučajevima predstavljaju mehanizam prilagodbe organizama na uvjete okoliša. Cilj ovog rada je istaknuti mehanizme i principe djelovanja epigenetike te njenu ulogu u evoluciji. Epigenetici se mogu pripisati specifične razlike organizama gotovo identičnog genoma. Također se pretpostavlja da bi, zbog svoje regulatorne uloge, mogla biti odgovorna za istovremenu pojavu dviju ili više adaptivnih osobina u organizmu tijekom evolucije čime bi se objasnio nastanak nekih kompleksnih bioloških sustava.

Abstract (english)

Epigenetics is the study of changes in phenotype of organisms which are not the result of variability of genetic code, rather the change in gene transription. While human genome contains 25,000 genes, human epigenome contains for now still unkownable number of epigenetic marks and mechanisms, from which the best studied are DNA methylation and covalent modifications of histone proteins. Their effect on cell differentiation and organism development during embriogenesis is indisputable. Epigenetic changes are often result of changes in the environment and in some cases they represent a mechanism of adaptation to enviromental fluctuations. This paper's main goal is to describe mechanisms and priciples of epigenetics and emphasize its role in evolution. Epigenetics can explain some differences among organisms that have almost identical genome. Moreover, because of its regulatory role, some scientists theorize that it could be responsible for simultaneous appearance of two or more adaptive characteristics in the same organism during the evolution which could explain the rise of specific complex biological systems.

• Keywords: epigenetika; evolucija
• Keywords (english): epigenetics; evolution
• Language: croatian
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:217:801199
• Study programme: Title: Ecology; Study programme type: university; Study level: undergraduate; Academic / professional title: sveučilišni/a prvostupnik/prvostupnica (baccalaureus/baccalaurea) biologije (sveučilišni/a prvostupnik/prvostupnica (baccalaureus/baccalaurea) biologije)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2018-01-02 11:04:06