Epigenetics explains Aging better than NeoDarwinism


Epigenetics of Aging and Aging-Associated Diseases

Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression that do not involve changes in the DNA sequence itself. Epigenetic changes can be caused by a variety of factors, including the environment, diet, and lifestyle. Epigenetic changes have been shown to play a role in aging and the development of age-related diseases.

The MDPI article "Epigenetics of Aging and Aging-Associated Diseases" by Dominik Saul et al. (2023) provides a comprehensive review of the current state of knowledge on the epigenetics of aging and age-related diseases. The authors discuss the various epigenetic mechanisms that are involved in aging, as well as the epigenetic changes that have been associated with specific age-related diseases.

Epigenetic mechanisms of aging

There are a variety of epigenetic mechanisms that have been shown to play a role in aging. These include:

  • DNA methylation: DNA methylation is the addition of a methyl group to a DNA molecule. Methylation can silence gene expression by preventing transcription factors from binding to DNA. Age-related changes in DNA methylation have been observed in a variety of tissues, including the brain, liver, and muscle.

  • Histone modifications: Histones are proteins that package DNA into chromatin. Histone modifications can alter the accessibility of DNA to transcription factors and thus affect gene expression. Age-related changes in histone modifications have been observed in a variety of tissues, including the brain, liver, and heart.

  • Non-coding RNAs: Non-coding RNAs are RNA molecules that do not code for proteins. Non-coding RNAs can regulate gene expression through a variety of mechanisms. Age-related changes in non-coding RNA expression have been observed in a variety of tissues, including the brain, liver, and muscle.

Epigenetic changes associated with age-related diseases

Epigenetic changes have been associated with a variety of age-related diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and metabolic diseases.

In cancer, epigenetic changes can lead to the activation of oncogenes and the silencing of tumor suppressor genes. Epigenetic changes can also promote tumor growth and metastasis.

In cardiovascular disease, epigenetic changes can lead to the development of atherosclerosis, which is the narrowing of the arteries. Epigenetic changes can also promote inflammation and arrhythmias.

In neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, epigenetic changes can lead to the death of neurons. Epigenetic changes can also disrupt the formation and function of synapses.

In metabolic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, epigenetic changes can lead to insulin resistance and other metabolic abnormalities.

Neodarwinism

Neodarwinism is a theory of evolution that incorporates the principles of Mendelian genetics. Neodarwinism holds that evolution is driven by natural selection, which is the differential survival and reproduction of individuals with favorable traits.

There are many aspects of aging and age-related diseases that are not easily explained by neo darwinism.

Neo Darwinism also has difficulty explaining the complex epigenetic changes that occur during aging. Epigenetic changes can be inherited from parents, but they can also be influenced by the environment and lifestyle. This means that epigenetic changes can be passed down to future generations, even if they are not encoded in the DNA sequence itself.

Challenges to neodarwinism from the epigenetics of aging

The epigenetics of aging poses a number of challenges to neodarwinism. These challenges include:

  • The universality of aging: Neodarwinism has difficulty explaining why aging is a universal phenomenon. If aging were a beneficial trait, it would be expected to be selected for by natural selection. However, aging is actually a harmful trait that leads to increased susceptibility to disease and death.

  • The complexity of epigenetic changes: Epigenetic changes are complex and can be influenced by a variety of factors, including the environment and lifestyle. This means that epigenetic changes can be passed down to future generations, even if they are not encoded in the DNA sequence itself.

  • The role of epigenetics in age-related diseases: Epigenetic changes have been associated with a variety of age-related diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and metabolic diseases. This suggests that epigenetic changes play a significant role in the aging process and the development of age-related diseases.

Both epigenetics and neo darwinism play a role in aging, but scientists now believe that epigenetics provides a more comprehensive explanation. This is because epigenetics can account for the fact that aging is a complex process that is influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, environment, and lifestyle.

One way that epigenetics contributes to aging is through the accumulation of epigenetic marks over time. Epigenetic marks are chemical modifications to DNA or proteins that can alter gene expression. Some epigenetic marks are associated with aging, and their accumulation can lead to changes in cell function and structure.

Another way that epigenetics contributes to aging is through the process of cellular senescence. Cellular senescence is a state in which cells stop dividing but remain alive. Senescent cells accumulate in the body with age, and they can release harmful substances that damage surrounding cells and tissues. Senescence is associated with a variety of age-related diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

According to neo darwinism, aging is a result of the accumulation of harmful mutations in the genome. These mutations can lead to changes in cell function and structure, and they can also contribute to senescence. However epigenetics is a better explanation than the mutational model by far.

Neo darwinism cannot fully explain aging. For example, it cannot explain why identical twins, who share the same genome, can age at different rates. Neo Darwinism also cannot explain why some animals, such as tortoises, can live for hundreds of years, while others, such as mice, typically live for only a few years.

Epigenetic factors can help to explain these differences in aging. For example, epigenetic differences between identical twins can lead to differences in gene expression and cell function. Epigenetic factors can also influence the lifespan of different animals. For example, tortoises have a slower metabolism than mice, which may lead to slower accumulation of epigenetic marks and senescence.

Overall, epigenetics provides a more comprehensive explanation of aging than neodarwinism. Epigenetics can account for the fact that aging is a complex process that is influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, environment, and lifestyle. Neo Darwinism, on the other hand, cannot fully explain aging.

Here are some specific examples of how epigenetics contributes to aging:

  • Epigenetic changes in telomere length have been linked to aging. Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes. As we age, our telomeres shorten. When telomeres become too short, cells become senescent or die.

  • Epigenetic changes in DNA methylation have been linked to a variety of age-related diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and cardiovascular disease. DNA methylation is a chemical modification to DNA that can alter gene expression.

  • Epigenetic changes in histone modification have been linked to age-related changes in gene expression and cell function.

Conclusion

The epigenetics of aging is a complex and rapidly evolving field. However, the research to date suggests epigenetics is the leading factor.

Epigenetic research is still in its early stages, but it has the potential to lead to new treatments for age-related diseases and to extend human lifespan.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Epigenetics explains Neanderthal and Human differences better than Neo-Darwinism

Image
Article :” Unveiling the Epigenetic Landscape of Our Closest Extinct Relatives: A Tale of Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA Methylation,” by Nobel Laureate Svante Pääbo, Science (4/14) The realm of epigenetics, a relatively young branch of genetics, delves into the intricate interplay between genes and their environment, deciphering how factors beyond DNA sequence influence gene expression. DNA methylation, a key epigenetic mechanism, involves the addition of a methyl group to cytosine bases, altering gene activity. By unraveling ancient DNA methylation patterns, scientists have gained unprecedented insights into the epigenetic landscape of our long-lost relatives – the Neanderthals and Denisovans. Harnessing the power of computational methods, researchers have ingeniously reconstructed the DNA methylation maps of Neanderthals and Denisovans, capitalizing on the natural degradation processes of methylated and unmethylated cytosines in ancient DNA. By comparing these methylatio
Read more

Many Evolutionists can't "evolve" with Epigenetics

Image
M any evolutionists believe that epigenetics challenges neo-Darwinism. Neo-Darwinism is the prevailing theory of evolution, and it states that evolution is driven by natural selection, which acts on random mutations in the DNA sequence. Epigenetics, on the other hand, is the study of changes in gene expression that are not caused by changes in the DNA sequence itself. Epigenetic changes can be passed down from parents to offspring, and they can be influenced by the environment. This raises a number of challenges for neo-Darwinism. First, it challenges the view that natural selection is the only driving force in evolution. Epigenetic changes can occur without mutations in the DNA sequence, so they can provide a way for organisms to adapt to their environment more quickly than natural selection alone can explain. Second, it challenges the view that evolution is a gradual process. Epigenetic changes can be large and sudden , and they can have a significant impact on an
Read more

Why are Christian philosophers running towards Darwin while biologists are "running" away?

Image
As nature reveals the strength of epigenetics and the weakness of Neo-Darwinism, biologists are “running” away from the long-standing accepted theory. In The Federalist , April 2019, Benjamin Dierker reviews “Why one-third of biologists now question Darwinism”: "Current estimates are that approximately one-third of professional academic biologists who do not believe in intelligent design find Darwin’s Theory inadequate to describe all of the complexity in biology.” Dierker continues, “The important note is that these are not ideologues or religious zealots, nor do they propose a god or biblical solution.  Rather, they find problems in the lack of explanatory power of Darwin’s theory in light of modern understanding of mutation, variation, DNA sequencing and more. These expressions of doubt do not reject naturalism or evolution per se, but the rigor of the Neo-Darwinian model for explaining the development of life.” For 40 years, scientists calculated natural se
Read more