Genomic imprinting and brain function

Abstract

In a small subset of mammalian genes, one of the two inherited copies (alleles) is switched off. Which allele is subject to genomic imprinting is dependent on whether it was inherited from the mother or the father. Genomic imprinting is a developmentally determined epigenetic process and results in some imprinted genes only ever being expressed from the maternal allele, while others are only ever expressed from the paternal allele. Although an evolutionary enigma, imprinted genes have important effects on physiology and, in particular, play a significant role in brain and behavior.