Epigenetics and Systems Physiology of Nutrition: An Overview

Abstract

Understanding of basic mechanisms mediating epigenetic regulation is essential for knowing cellular differentiation and genomic programming for function. Epigenetics refers to chemical marks on genes and their products, impacting gene expression without any alteration in DNA base sequence. These marks are copied and carried over through cell division and yet, are reversible with appropriate molecular manipulations such as DNA methylation, chromatin rearrangement, microRNA mediated feedback checks etc. Such changes underlie fetal origins of adult chronic non communicable diseases, and project the primacy of nutrition in epigenetic aberrations. Regulation of over 25000 genes through epigenetic processes in health and disease opens vast sphere for physiologic understanding of nutrition and nutrients. Genomic science has systems approach to understanding. In present context that shapes as dynamic emergent nutrition physiology of health and disease. Present article presents a brief overview of the perspectives.