How can environmental factors affect gene expression

Sign in to comment. No Account? Email the editor. Didn't read, too long? Meet the Duke Ph. Making a scientific miracle count in the real world. Why should I bring this information to my healthcare provider? What are the chances my child will inherit a condition? How do your genes and the environment interact? There are steps you can take to prevent disease, lower your risk, and find problems early when most treatments work best.

Search form Search. Why is genetics important to my health? Learn More. Did You Know? Here are some ways that your genes and your environment can interact: Mutagens — Mutagens are pollutants in the environment that enter the body and directly change your DNA sequence. Example: The chemicals in cigarette smoke can cause cancer. Gene-gene interactions — Gene-gene interactions occur when pollutants in the environment do not change your DNA sequence, but rather cause a chain reaction that affects the functioning of one gene that then affects the functioning of another gene.

Example: Regularly drinking way too much alcohol can cause a specific gene, TACE, not to produce enough of its protein.

Too little MTHFR protein changes the level of folate another protein in our blood, and low folate levels may cause depression. Epigene tics — The environment can alter your health by affecting the proteins that turn genes on or off.

Continue reading for more information on epigenetics. Example: half the genes that cause familial or inherited cancer are turned off when pollutants in the environment affect these proteins. Because they are turned off, these genes cannot suppress tumor formation or repair DNA. Environmental factors affect animals as easily as they do humans. As explained by Scitable , certain breeds of Himalayan rabbits can experience changes in fur, skin, and eye pigments when temperatures warm or cool.

These changes can happen in individuals and across generations if temperatures remain constant. The point is, the world we live in has a very serious affect on our genetic development. As things get colder or hotter, species like ourselves are going to have to physically adapt to those changes.

Those changes could affect the way we reproduce, the way we look, or the way our bodies work. It seems as though our best bet to avoid potentially dangerous changes to our DNA would be to eschew pollutants and mitigate climate change in such a way that we can reclaim a global homeostasis. Then again, if life is change, perhaps ours will inevitably lead us to be more suited to the world we are creating for ourselves. Green Matters is a registered trademark.