Gen Changes Due to Environment, How Can It Be?

Medical Video: Dear Future Generations: Sorry

Each individual has different genes and DNA, even identical twin brothers. This genetic difference is what makes physical differences, behavior, affect body functions, and also the risk of an illness. However, genetics will change when they meet the environment.

You cannot get to know someone from the genetics that he carries from birth

Every human has hundreds of types of cells, such as cells in the blood, kidneys, liver and heart. Every cell in the body - except red blood cells - has a cell nucleus containing DNA which consists of 20 thousand genes in a chain. Actually, every cell of the same type has the same DNA, but sometimes there are genes that are active and not inside a cell. This is what distinguishes cells in the body.

DNA is molecules that are owned by all individuals who determine genes, which then form the physical and affect body functions, even affecting the risk of getting an illness. And experts say that the DNA and genes that are carried or passed down from your parents can be changed by the environment around you. Or you could say that genetics and DNA do not form you completely, but the life and lifestyle that you are living in now is very influential even on DNA that should have formed since you were in the womb.

Various studies have proven that many things can affect genes in the body through various processes mentioned earlier. One study conducted in 2005 and the results of a study reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and metabolism showed that pregnant women who were victims of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, United States, had higher stress hormone levels and then transferred excessive hormone to the fetus that is being conceived.

How can the environment affect genes?

Various diseases arise due to gene interactions with the environment, each person produces different interactions, because genes and environmental factors are also different. Therefore it is important to know how the environment can affect genes that have been passed down from previous generations. Why can two twin brothers experience different diseases even though both have similar DNA and genes that are quite large. Next is the interaction between genes and the environment that can affect the life of an individual as a whole.

Mutagen. Mutagen is a foreign substance from outside the body or the environment that enters the body and then changes genes and DNA, for example chemicals from cigarettes that can cause cancer.

Interaction interaction. In the body genes interact with each other to maintain the body's function to remain normal. But when something can affect genes into the body, the interaction will be disrupted. For example, people who consume alcohol too often and cause a lot of changes in gene function.

Transcription factor. Transcription is the process by which DNA is copied and converted to 'text' into RNA which will then be used as a 'letter of assignment' given to various cells to carry out its functions. In this process, protein is needed for making RNA. This process is also susceptible to disorders that might come from outside the body or the environment. As for people who are experiencing stress. Stress can make the levels of protein the body needs for the transcription process change. This of course will change the 'assignment letter' made by DNA.

Epigenetics. Epigenetic processes are processes in which the environment can affect the amount of protein. Protein does not only function as tissue formation, but at the level of DNA proteins play an important role in making a gene active or not. For example, when someone has a cancer gene that is caused by heredity, then the gene can be active or not. Depends on how much exposure to the environment to activate it.

What kind of environment can change genes?

The environment that affects genes is an environment that is not good for overall health, such as pollution that is too high, cigarette smoke, or even smoking habits can affect gene formation. Not only that, unhealthy eating behavior is also considered to affect the expression of genes in the body. Therefore, doing a healthy lifestyle is not only good for your health but will affect your genes and your offspring in the future.