EpigenticsProgress2010.ppt

What kind of a relationship between epigenetics and genetics/mutation? It is clear that cancer can be caused by both mutations and epigenetic dysfunctions. Mutations only affect single cells and epigenetic changes often affect all cells. But which is more important or rate limiting? There is an inverse relationship between epigenetic complexity and genetic mutation, termed the First Axiom of Biology. The First Axiom of Biology: High epigenetic complexity suppresses mutations To maintain the purity and complexity of the epigenetic programs of a species such as humans, most mutations cause lethal diseases and disappear as the patients die or cannot reproduce. 人类的表观遗传高复杂性， 体现在智力， 使带有突变的病人不易正常结婚生子，也就是抑制了突变的积累。 To maintain the purity and complexity of the epigenetic programs of a healthy tissue, most mutations cause death or senescence in those cells carrying those mutations and disappear as these mutant cells die or cannot reproduce. 健康组织器官 的表观遗传高复杂性， 使带有突变的细胞自杀或老化， 也就是抑制了突变的积累和突变细胞的繁殖。 The First Axiom of Biology: Reducing the epigenetic complexity of a population allows individuals with mutations to reproduce well Reducing the epigenetic complexity level of a human population, as may happen in a society that do not value intelligence such as during the cultural revolution, would allow people with subtle disorders such as mild mental retardation as a result of mutations to reproduce just as well, and thus allowing mutations to have a chance to degrade the population. 在一个不尊重知识的平均主义社会，例如文化大革命时期，因为突变造成的轻微智弱的人群也能象正常人一样结婚生子， 将会逐渐导致整个人群的智弱和突变的积累。 因此， 不尊重知识／智力， 也就是不追求表观遗传高复杂性，将会带来突变的积累。 Reducing the epigenetic complexity level of a tissue organ, as may be induced by environmental factors, would allow cells with mutations to survive and reproduce, and thus allowing mutant cells to have a chance to degrade the tissue or become cancer. 当一个组织器官的表观遗传复杂性被不良环境因素降低后，发生突变的细胞将能正常生存和繁殖， 最终导致组织器官的破坏和癌症的发生。 * * 15 * Our work started with about 10years ago with the cloning of t