How Epigenetics affects Gene Expression
Epigenetics involves genetic control by factors other than an individual's DNA sequence. Epigenetic changes can switch genes on or off and determine which proteins are transcribed. Epigenetics is involved in many normal cellular processes.
The study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence is known as epigenetics. A single or multiple change in phenotype without a changing the genotype, which results affects the cells that can read the genes. The changes occurred due to the epigenetic are regular and naturally occurring however, they can also be influenced by several factors such as age, environment, lifestyle, and conditions of diseases.
The modifications caused due to the epigenetic can noticeable commonly in the same manner in which cells critically differentiate to end up as skin cells, liver cells, brain cells and others. The epigenetic changes can also be resulted into diseases like cancer.. The growth of the market is driven by the factors such as declining prices of sequencing, increasing prevalence of cancer and funds & grants provided by government bodies.
Epigenetic changes can help determine whether genes are on or off or may affect the production of proteins in some cells, ensuring that only essential proteins are produced. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. The patterns of epigenetic modification vary between individuals, different tissues within an individual and even different cells.
A common type of epigenetic modification is called DNA methylation. DNA methylation consists of small molecules in segments of DNA called methyl groups, each containing one carbon atom and three hydrogen atoms. When methyl groups are added to a particular gene, that gene is called off or locked, and no protein is produced from that gene.
In the recent years, next generation sequencing price have declined substantially. For instance, first whole human genome sequencing cost over US$3.7 billion in 2000 and took 13 years for the completion. However, the costs for the same in recent years has reduce to US$1,000 and the process requires less number of days. In 2000, cost for sequencing was US$ 3.7 billion, which dropped down to US$ 10 million in 2006 and declined to US$ 5,000 in 2012. Major market players such as Illumina and Roche have introduced breakthrough technologies that have enabled in the cost and time reduction in the sequencing.
Companies Operating in this Study:
1. Merck KGaA
2. Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.
3. Abcam plc
4. Agilent Technologies
5. Active Motif
6. QIAGEN
7. Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
8. PerkinElmer Inc.
9. New England Biolabs (NEB)
10. Illumina, Inc.
Product launches and merger and acquisitionsare the commonly adopted strategies by companies to expand their global footprint sand product portfolios, which help them,meet the growing consumer demand. Product launches are among the major strategies adopted by the epigenetics industry players to enlarge their respective customer bases; this also permits them maintain their brand name globally.