Resumen de The gene silencers that trigger cancer
Thomson talks about the first direct evidence that switching off certain gene can trigger tumors, without mutating the DNA itself. All cells contain the same DNA, but individual genes in any cell can be switched on or off by the addition or subtraction of a methyl group--a carbon atom bound to three hydrogen atoms. This process is known as epigenetic methylation. These changes can be caused by external factors including diet and stress. For years, researchers have known that mutations to our DNA can cause cancer. But epigenetic changes have also been implicated in cancer because abnormal patterns of gene methylation are seen in virtually all types of human tumors.
