Epigenetics Explained: Twins Example

22 September, 2023

It is always fascinating to look at twin studies that show how much influence our environment has over our gene expression.

If both twins have the same ‘bad’ gene – how come only one of them develops a disease?

What did the other individual do to ‘turn off’ that harmful predisposition? What did they, eat, drink? What supplements did they take? What habits did they have?

Epigenetics – the study of how environmental factors influence the expression of genes, is quickly becoming an essential pillar in personalized healthcare.

Scientific References:

Bell JT, Spector TD. A twin approach to unraveling epigenetics. Trends Genet. 2011 Mar;27(3):116-25. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2010.12.005. Epub 2011 Jan 21. PMID: 21257220; PMCID: PMC3063335.
Li Y. Modern epigenetics methods in biological research. Methods. 2021 Mar;187:104-113. doi: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2020.06.022. Epub 2020 Jul 6. PMID: 32645449; PMCID: PMC7785612.
Fraga MF, Ballestar E, Paz MF, Ropero S, Setien F, Ballestar ML, Heine-Suñer D, Cigudosa JC, Urioste M, Benitez J, Boix-Chornet M, Sanchez-Aguilera A, Ling C, Carlsson E, Poulsen P, Vaag A, Stephan Z, Spector TD, Wu YZ, Plass C, Esteller M. Epigenetic differences arise during the lifetime of monozygotic twins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Jul 26;102(30):10604-9. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0500398102. Epub 2005 Jul 11. PMID: 16009939; PMCID: PMC1174919.