Genomic imprinting and uniparental disomy

Abstract

Genomic imprinting refers to the process of differential modi fi cation and expression of parental alleles; the parental origin of the allele dictates whether it is transcribed. It is an epigenetic form of gene regulation that allows expression of only one parental allele. As a result, the same gene functions differently depending on whether it is maternally or paternally derived. This concept is contrary to that of the traditional Mendelian inheritance in which genetic information contributed by either parent is assumed to be equivalent.