This story was originally published in the Spring 2012 UW SRP eBulletin.
As recently as fifteen years ago, it was common to think of our genetic sequence as the ultimate authority on heritable characteristics such as obesity, life span and disease susceptibility. Today we understand that environmental stressors, such as toxicants in the food we eat and the air we breathe, can impact not only our own gene expression, but potentially that of our children and even our grandchildren. These alterations to the genome that do not involve changes to the genetic code define the field of epigenetics. Epigenetic changes in gene expression have been associated with Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Fred Farin and his team at the Superfund Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Core have been working with UW-SRP investigators on a specific epigenetic alteration that involves the addition or loss of methyl groups (non-reactive molecules made up of carbon and hydrogen) on the DNA, which may increase gene regulation or silence it completely. DNA methylation can also be used as a tool to link changes in gene expression with potentially harmful environmental conditions.This Core laboratory supports the research of all five UW-SRP projects. Program investigators explore links between enzyme and other protein levels, genetic predisposition, genomic-based changes and exposure to metals, pesticides and other environmental pollutants. By measuring physiological and genomic alterations that are associated with toxic exposure, the core provides context for the development of new technologies that can be used to identify key biological pathways and genomic mechanisms involved in environmental-related diseases.
The Core directors assist UW-SRP research by consulting with program investigators regarding the design and integration of functional genomic approaches in their individual research programs. The laboratory provides a nexus for program research protocols and approaches, such is the case with the innovative DNA methylation techniques. The Methylated DNA Binding Domain Sequencing method and the Methylated DNA Immunoprecipitation approach are two global DNA methylation profiling techniques implemented by the Superfund Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics Core. Both of these methods allow for the unbiased assessment of genome-wide methylation in a time efficient and cost effective manner.