What is epigenetics and why is it important to PKU?
What is epigenetics?
The primary vehicles for epigenetic changes are DNA methylation and histone modification. DNA methylation involves the addition of a methyl group (containing one carbon atom bonded to three hydrogen atoms) to select positions on the cytosine or adenine nucleotides. Histones are proteins found in cell nuclei. They are the chief protein components of chromatin, which serves as the spool around which DNA winds. Histone modification — which is also the result of methylation — causes the DNA to either stretch out or contract, which causes changes in protein production during transcription, which, as you will remember from the earlier video, is how specific proteins are spun out from DNA instructions.
Epigenetics changes the way genes express themselves with no changes in the underlying DNA sequence. These changes can pass through cell division after cell division for the remainder of the cell’s life and may also be passed down through multiple generations if the changes take place in a sperm or egg cell. More importantly, unlike genetic changes, which can take thousands of years to be noticed, changes in gene expression can result from a single “stress” event and even be noticed in a matter of days — with profound consequences.
Over time, epigenetic changes can profoundly alter our phenotypes. Experiments with identical twins have shown that everything from what we eat, drink, and smoke to the environmental factors we are exposed to — even to stress itself — can alter the way our genes express themselves up and down the line with a totality that is beyond imagining. And even the supplements you take can quickly change how your genes express themselves and, thus, your susceptibility to many diseases such as cancer.1
Make sure your diet contains all nutrients
You want to eat foods that provide the building blocks for methylation in the body — and in the proper balance so that you don’t over folate for example. And speaking of folic acid, beans of all kinds are great natural folate sources. Lentils, pintos, garbanzos, navy beans, and kidney beans top the list with asparagus and the leafy greens such as spinach and turnip greens close behind. Other methylation building blocks include:
- Choline
- Methionine
- B12
- B6
- TMG
- SAMe
Retrieved from:
https://jonbarron.org/article/everything-you-need-know-about-epigenetics
Why is this information important to PKU?
In order to fine tune gene expression, it is recommended that individuals eat foods that provide the building blocks for methylation in the body. As mentioned from the website, beans and other protein sources are key to providing the building blocks for methylation in the body. Individuals living with PKU may have a disadvantage to fine tuning gene expression because they must restrict the amount of protein intake in their diet.
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