How genetics and environment work together to shape our destiny: Milena Georgieva at TEDxAUBG

Summary

This presentation explores the significance of DNA in defining life, highlighting its universal structure and the groundbreaking Human Genome Project. It delves into epigenetics, explaining how environmental factors influence gene expression beyond genetic code, and emphasizes the importance of being mindful of our lifestyle choices as they can impact our DNA and future generations.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Biology is a natural science that studies life, and DNA is the fundamental molecule that makes organisms living creatures.
• 🔬 The structure of DNA was discovered about 60 years ago, and the scientists who made this discovery were awarded the Nobel Prize.
• 🧬 DNA has a consistent chemical composition across almost all organisms, consisting of four letters: C, A, T, and G.
• 🧬🧬 The sequencing of the human genome, which involves determining the order of the four DNA letters, is a massive task with over three billion letters in human DNA.
• 🌐 The Human Genome Project, completed at the beginning of the new millennium, was a monumental effort involving thousands of scientists across multiple countries.
• 🐒 The genetic difference between humans and chimpanzees is only 1.5%, highlighting the importance of understanding how similar genomes can result in different expressions.
• 🧠 The question of what makes DNA express differently in different organisms is a central focus in modern biology, moving beyond just the DNA sequence itself.
• 🧬💻 DNA is not just a biological molecule; it's also seen as the 'hardware' of our biological systems, with epigenetics acting as the 'software' that controls gene expression.
• 🌱 Epigenetics, which means 'beyond DNA', provides information that is not coded in our genes and controls how our genome is expressed.
• 🌿 Environmental factors such as diet, lifestyle, and even social interactions can influence our epigenetics, affecting how our DNA is expressed and potentially impacting future generations.
• 🔬🧪 Research in molecular biology labs is focused on understanding how various stress conditions, including UV radiation and food additives, affect DNA and the epigenome.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the presentation?

The main topic of the presentation is the role of DNA in defining living organisms and the importance of understanding its structure and function in the field of biology.

What is the significance of DNA according to the speaker?

DNA is significant because it is the universal molecule present in every living cell, serving as the 'language of life' and determining the characteristics of all organisms.

What was a major scientific achievement related to DNA about 60 years ago?

About 60 years ago, the structure of DNA was discovered, which led to the Nobel Prize being awarded to the scientists who made this groundbreaking discovery.

What is the human genome sequencing?

Human genome sequencing is the process of determining the exact order of the four chemical bases (A, T, C, and G) along the DNA strand, which amounts to about three billion letters in the human genome.

When was the first draft of the human genome project announced?

The first draft of the human genome project was announced at the beginning of the new millennium, approximately 50 years after the discovery of DNA's structure.

What is the genetic difference between humans and chimpanzees as mentioned in the script?

The genetic difference between humans and chimpanzees is only 1.5%, indicating a high degree of genetic similarity between the two species.

What is the main question that scientists started asking after the sequencing of the human genome?

The main question scientists started asking was why the same DNA functions differently in different organisms and what makes us different despite having similar genomes.

What is epigenetics and how does it relate to our DNA?

Epigenetics is the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself. It means 'beyond DNA' and provides information that controls and regulates our genome, telling identical genomes to express differently.

How does the environment influence our epigenome?

The environment influences our epigenome through various stimuli such as diet, lifestyle, and social interactions, which can affect gene expression and potentially lead to changes that are passed on to future generations.

What does the speaker suggest as a way to be responsible for our DNA?

The speaker suggests being aware of the impact of our lifestyle and environment on our epigenome, and making choices that promote health and well-being, as these can influence the genetic information transmitted to our descendants.

What role do food colorants have in the context of DNA health according to the speaker's research?

According to the speaker's research, certain food colorants such as Fast Green, Indigo Carmine, and Erythrosine can cause extensive DNA damage when healthy cells are treated with them, indicating that they should be used cautiously.

Outlines

00:00

🧬 The Language of Life: DNA

The speaker begins by expressing gratitude to the event organizers and introduces the topic of biology, emphasizing its universal relevance as it pertains to all living beings. They pose a question about what makes organisms alive, suggesting that DNA is the fundamental component. The speaker explains that DNA, with its consistent structure across various life forms, is the 'language of life.' They highlight the significance of understanding DNA's structure, mentioning the Nobel Prize awarded for its discovery. The summary of the human genome project is provided, emphasizing its scale and international collaboration. The speaker concludes this section by discussing the genetic similarity between humans and other organisms, such as chimpanzees, and introduces the concept that what makes us unique is not just our DNA sequence but how it is expressed, setting the stage for the next topic: epigenetics.

05:03

🌱 Epigenetics: Beyond the DNA Sequence

The second paragraph delves into the concept of epigenetics, which is described as information 'beyond the DNA sequence.' The speaker illustrates that while all cells in the human body contain the same DNA, they differentiate into various types with specific functions, suggesting an external influence on gene expression. The analogy of DNA as hardware and epigenetics as software is used to explain how our bodies function. The speaker discusses how identical twins, despite their genetic similarity, can develop differences over time due to epigenetic changes. The role of the environment in influencing the epigenome is highlighted, with stress, diet, and lifestyle being key factors. The speaker also touches on the heritability of epigenetic changes across generations. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding and managing our epigenome for health and disease prevention.

10:03

🔬 The Impact of Environment on Our Genome

In the final paragraph, the speaker, identifying as a molecular biologist, discusses the laboratory's research into how environmental factors influence the genome and epigenome. They describe an experiment involving human cells and DNA damage under various stress conditions, such as UV radiation and exposure to certain food colorants. The 'comet assay' is introduced as a method to visualize and quantify DNA damage. The speaker warns of the potential harm caused by common food additives and emphasizes the importance of being mindful of what we consume. The paragraph concludes with a broader reflection on how various aspects of our lives, including social and economic factors, can impact our epigenome and, by extension, our health. The speaker leaves the audience with a message of responsibility towards our genetic legacy, urging them to consider the long-term implications of their lifestyle choices on future generations.

Keywords

💡Biology

Biology is the natural science that studies life and living organisms. It is the overarching theme of the video, as it sets the stage for the discussion on what makes organisms living creatures. The script mentions biology to introduce the concept of DNA as the universal language of life.

💡DNA

DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for the development, functioning, and reproduction of all known living organisms. In the script, DNA is highlighted as the key to understanding life, with its structure and sequence being central to the identity and function of every cell.

💡Genome

A genome is the complete set of genetic information of an organism, encoded in its DNA. The script discusses the sequencing of the human genome, emphasizing its complexity and the significance of understanding the order of the DNA's four letters (A, T, C, G) in the 3 billion base pairs that make up human DNA.

💡Human Genome Project

The Human Genome Project was an international scientific research project aimed at determining the sequence of DNA nucleotides that make up the human genome, as well as identifying and mapping the genes present in the genome. The script refers to this project as a milestone in understanding our genetic makeup and its implications for health and evolution.

💡Evolutionary Trait

Evolutionary traits refer to characteristics that have evolved in a species over time and are influenced by genetic variations. The script mentions the sequencing of various genomes, such as those of monkeys, honeybees, and chimpanzees, to trace these traits and understand the genetic differences between species.

💡Epigenetics

Epigenetics is the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself. The script explains that epigenetics is 'beyond DNA' and controls gene expression, influencing how identical genomes can result in different phenotypes.

💡Gene Expression

Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product, such as proteins. The script discusses how epigenetic factors can influence which genes are switched on or off, affecting the traits and characteristics of an organism.

💡Epigenome

The epigenome refers to the collection of all the chemical compounds that can control gene activity in a cell and is influenced by the environment. The script positions the epigenome as the bridge between the genome and the environment, affecting how our genetic information is interpreted and expressed.

💡Genetic Difference

Genetic difference refers to the variations in DNA sequences between individuals or species. The script cites the example of the chimpanzee genome, which has a genetic difference of only 1.5% from humans, to illustrate the concept of genetic similarity and its implications for understanding our biology.

💡Stress Conditions

In the context of the script, stress conditions refer to various environmental factors that can impact the DNA and epigenome, such as UV radiation, diet, and lifestyle. The speaker discusses how these conditions can cause DNA damage and influence gene expression, affecting health and cellular function.

💡DNA Damage

DNA damage refers to the alteration of DNA molecules that can lead to mutations and affect the function of genes. The script describes an experiment where cells are exposed to electric fields, causing DNA to extend and form a 'comet-like image,' which is a visual representation of DNA damage.

Highlights

Biology is a natural science that deals with life.

DNA is the language of life, present in every living organism.

The structure of DNA was discovered about 60 years ago, earning a Nobel Prize.

DNA has a consistent chemical composition across different organisms.

The human genome project was completed 50 years after the discovery of DNA's structure.

Human DNA contains three billion letters, making genome sequencing a massive task.

Genetic differences between humans and chimpanzees are only 1.5%.

Epigenetics controls how genes are expressed, beyond the DNA sequence.

Identical twins can differ epigenetically over time, affecting susceptibility to diseases.

DNA is organized with proteins in the nucleus, influencing epigenetic information.

Environmental factors such as stress, diet, and lifestyle can affect epigenetics.

Epigenetics is a bridge between the genome and the environment.

Recent advances in epigenetics are revolutionizing bioscience.

Epigenetic changes can influence health and combat diseases.

Molecular biology labs study how different factors influence the genome and epigenome.

DNA damage can be observed and quantified under a microscope, indicating health risks.

Food colorants can cause extensive DNA damage, affecting health.

Responsibility for one's DNA is crucial, as it impacts future generations.

Transcripts

so hello everybody

so first of all i'd like to thank the

organizers for this wonderful event and

for the opportunity

to get familiar to make you familiar

with the language that i

really talk

so

what i'm going to talk about is

biology and we all know that biology is

a natural science that deals with life

so probably i might be talking your

language because we all are living

creatures

and let me start my presentation with a

simple question and it's what makes

organisms living creatures and i'm

pretty sure that every one of you in the

audience has his own

answer someone will say it's the brain

others will say it's the heart

and

i'm going to convince you that

the answer is much simpler and it's dna

every living organism every cell has dna

bacteria have dna

yeast have dna so do any plants and

humans

and dna is the language of our life so

we always speaking the same language

and

undoubtedly knowing the structure of

this important molecule this is the most

important molecule in nature

is of high priority for all scientists

so and

there's no surprise that when the

structure of dna has been discovered

about 60 years ago scientists that have

discovered the structure have received a

nobel prize

what's important about this molecule is

that

it has one and the same structure

chemical composition in almost all cells

in almost

all organisms it's quite a perfect

and very refined molecule it has four

letters

and they are

c a t g

and they are arranged all along the dna

strand

uniquely for every one of us

and knowing the exact order of all these

four letters all along the human dna is

what is called sequencing of the genome

knowing all these

ordering of the four letters

and just have in mind that human dna has

three billions of these letters so it's

quite a huge task

and

at the beginning

okay

of the new millennium the first draft of

the human genome project has been

announced

and

it was about 50 years after the

discovery of

the structure of dna

it was a huge project a billion dollar

project that united efforts of more than

2.5 000 scientists

located in more than 20 laboratories in

six different countries so it's it's a

huge and tremendous project and he was

completed just at the celebration of the

50 years after of the discovery of the

structure of dna

and this celebration was crowned by this

major scientific event

so now we know that

we have another

four letters

along the dna code and

scientists

run for sequencing of other genomes just

to follow the evolutionary trait of

different organisms so the genome of the

monkeys have been

sequenced of the honeybees as well of

the dogs and the chickens even of the

chimpanzees and when the genome of the

chimpanzees

have been

compared to our genome

guess what

the genetic difference was only 1.5

which means that by dna we are pretty

much identical but by look

by appearance by the things we do we are

different i think so at least in some

cases

so what tells identical almost similar

genomes to express differently how dna

knows which genes to switch on and which

to switch off and how these little

differences are expressed so vastly in

different organisms

what makes us different is the main

question that

scientists started asking themselves

after the sequencing of the human genome

why the dna

is not our destiny why one in the same

dna functions pretty different

and i think that we are about to answer

some of these questions and it's about

to start a fourth revolution and this

revolution will concern our health and

it will concern our

way of living even our way of producing

energy as well

it is it is a tremendous

discovery and

have in mind that we all start from a

single cell

human body has more than 100 trillion

cells and they're specialized in more

than 300 distinct types

each type is specialized in specific

functions and cells of a specific of a

specific type form tissues and they form

our organs and thus a human body is

formed

this cell can go this way and can turn

into a lung cell for example

or it can go this way

and can turn into a brain cell

there is another option and

it can be this way

and this cell will become a skin cell

have in mind that all these cells are

specialized in quite different functions

in our body

but they do have same dna

which means that their genome is the

same they have identical genomes

obviously there's something in this

house that tells with genes to be

switched on and with genes to be

switched off

and the main question is

what is this

let's imagine that we are computers

logically dna is our hardware in order

to function well this hardware needs

proper software programs in order to

drive the hardware

the main question is which of these

software programs for our body which are

the software programs for each of these

different cell types

that tell them which genes to work and

which not

the answer is the epigenetics

and

what does epigenetics mean

literally it means beyond the dna

sequence it means beyond dna and our

genomes it provides information which is

not coded in our genes

it's something outside that regulates

and that controls our genome

and practically

sorry

practically it tells identical genomes

to express differently

have identical twins as an example they

do look alike and they genetically are

identical

but with the time

with the age they start differing

differing epigenetically which means

that they are susceptible to different

diseases and in some cases they do die

by different diseases

dna

in our cells is not naked it's located

in the nucleus

and is organized with proteins and these

proteins together with dna are

transmitting this epigenetic information

and they do tell which genes to work and

which not

so it means that the lives of our

grandparents the food they ate

the air they breeded

the actions they did did they smoke or

didn't

even the things they saw could affect us

decades later

and moreover we can pass and transmit

this information to our descendants

and can affect our children

grandchildren and grand-grandchildren

as i told you

epigenetics

is something

above and beyond the genome

and the genome and the epigenome cannot

exist separately

and the bridge between them is the

environment

hey okay

it's the environment so

okay

this is stress and it's also influencing

my epigenetics and in our lives

in our lives during our life we are

under extensive stress and this

environment of stimuli can be our diet

can be the way we live can be even the

people who we interact with and this

environment of stimuli are affecting our

genome

through the epigenome

which means that the epigenetics is

bridging the interaction between the

genome and the surrounding environment

and as i told you

there is another genetics burst in the

recent years

and this is

a real revolution in the field of

bioscience

all these books are scientifical and

also science fictional and they do aim

to make you familiar with the way that

you can change your genome by

influencing your epigenome by changing

your environment by changing your way of

living and thus

trying to be

healthier

trying to

combat different diseases ideals with

aging

it deals with the way

we take food

which means that the epigenetics is the

real genie in our genes it controls the

way they work

as

i'm a molecular biologist and i come

from a molecular genetics lab our aim is

to try to probe to try to study

how different

factors and conditions are influencing

our genome and epigenome

and if this is the human cell

and this is the place where dna sits

what we observe

in our laboratory

is how

this dna

is influenced by different

stress conditions

these different trans conditions can be

uv radiation

it can be different food

substitutes it can be drugs and

whatever

and if we put

this cell on the mild electric field

what we see

is that when dna is damaged

dna

is extended toward the anode and thus

forms

a comet like image

which is observed

under a microscope

this is a cell

and

it has a lot of dna damage here is the

place where the intact the healthy dna

is

located and here is the tail and this

tail tells us that there is a lot of dna

damages in this cell

and there are methods for quantifying

these results and they do tell us how to

treat our dna in order to be healthy and

in order to manage in different stress

conditions

some of our results deal with food

colorants food additives and

preservatives that we regularly use in

our daily practice

we have tested a lot of them but i'm

gonna give you the results with some

food colorants like fast green indigo

carmine and erythrozine

this colorant gives the green color this

one gives the blue color and this one

gives the red color of our sweets and

when we treat healthy cells

with these

three colorants what we observe is

extensive dna damage which means that we

should be very careful

when we use them in our daily practice

moreover we also experiencing the way

different

all kinds of stress conditions are

influencing our genome through the

epigenome

and we're monitoring the way the

environment is influencing our epi

genome the way gender even the age the

food and the drugs that we daily uptake

all the social factors the economic

factors

which means that we are experiencing the

way we live is influencing our happy

genome

and

the today home message that i'm going to

leave you with is to try to be

responsible for your dna because all

these genetic and epigenetic information

you transmit to your descendants

and you can transmit this information

even to your grand grandchildren

which means they can

be influenced by things that they

haven't even experienced in their lives

so with this

i'm gonna thank you for your attention

[Applause]

[Music]

[Applause]

you