IMR Press / FBL / Volume 10 / Issue 1 / DOI: 10.2741/1531

Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark (FBL) is published by IMR Press from Volume 26 Issue 5 (2021). Previous articles were published by another publisher on a subscription basis, and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement with Frontiers in Bioscience.

Article
Genome organization and three kinds of heritable changes: general description and stochastic factors (a review)
Show Less
1 Center for Demographic Studies, Duke University, 2117 Campus Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2005, 10(1), 335–344; https://doi.org/10.2741/1531
Published: 1 January 2005
Abstract

Due to the increased knowledge of genome architecture, topology, and the mechanisms of hereditary variability, the list of genetic components has grown. This review outlines the general features and principles of genome organization in diverse organisms. The genome codes, stores, and transfers information in both structurally and dynamically. The genome includes two subsystems of genetic elements: obligatory (genes and gene families) and various types of facultative elements which are predominant the content of the human genome. The features of three kinds of heritable changes: mutations, variations (changes in the number or topography of facultative elements), and epigenetic alterations are described. Facultative elements are the first to react to environmental challenges. Together with epigenetic changes, they implement the operational genomic memory. This review discusses both the role of stochastic factors and the transient features of DNA components.

Keywords
Genome
Facultative Elements
Mutation
Variations
Epigenetics
Heritable Changes
Epigenetic Inheritance
Reivew
Share
Back to top