Epigenetics – beyond genes

Useful sites

Inheritance... more than just genes information sheet (CSIRO, Australia)

Provides information about epigenetics, or non-gene factors, that affect traits in plants.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

A three part series on epigenetics (October/November 2009, Dr Karl’s Great Moments in Science)

Part I: Ladder of life mysteries amaze
Provides an introduction to epigenetics, including how famine during World War II changed the DNA of pregnant women.

Part II: Bee gene research solves royal riddle
Describes Australian research that showed how royal jelly affects how DNA is read to produce queen bees.

Part III: Good-natured lifestyle nurtures cancer-fighting DNA
Explains how lifestyle can affect DNA of prostate cancer cells to help fight cancer.

Epigenetics (The Science Show, 7 February 2009)
Transcript of an interview discussing epigenetics in general, as well as research into yeast and human epigenetics.

Centre for Genetics Education, Australia

Cancer, genes and inherited predisposition overview
Summarises how cancer develops and provides a list of important points to remember about cancer.

X chromosome inactivation
Describes the process of inactivation of the genes on one of the X chromosomes in females by methylation.

Genetic imprinting
Describes genetic imprinting caused by methylation of genes from either a mother or father.

Basic principles of genetics: An introduction to Mendelian genetics (Palomar Community College, USA)

Provides information on genetics including the probability of inheritance and exceptions to simple inheritance.

Rediscovering biology: Molecular to global perspectives (Learner.org, USA)

Genetics of development
Examines how molecules work to coordinate the genetic information of an entire organism.

Cell biology and cancer
Covers the causes of cancer and treatments, tumour biology and angiogenesis.

National Cancer Institute (USA)

A series of tutorials that use graphics and simple text to provide information about cancer.

Cancer
Cancer Genome Project
Cancer and the environment

Inside cancer: Multimedia guide to cancer biology (Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory, USA)

Uses animations to describe aspects of cancer. Includes the sections ‘Hallmarks of cancer’, ‘Causes and prevention’, ‘Diagnosis and treatment and ‘Pathways to cancer’.

Epigenetics: A web tour (Science magazine, USA)

A collection of articles and web resources on epigenetics, including DNA methylation, RNA interference and histone modification.

External sites are not endorsed by the Australian Academy of Science.
Page updated January 2010.