Dr. Oded Rechavi: Genes & the Inheritance of Memories Across Generations | Episode 119
Main Takeaways
DNA is the genetic instructions contained in all our cells, while RNA is the instructions to make one particular protein based on the entire set of possibilities.
The genome is the entire set of DNA in our body, and we have the same genome and DNA in every cell.
Germ cells are the cells that contribute to the next generation, while somatic cells are all the cells that are not germ cells.
The inheritance of acquired traits was a controversial theory proposed by Lamarck that suggested transmission of traits acquired in life are passed to offspring.
Epigenetics refers to the inheritance that occurs across cell division or across generations, not because of changes to DNA sequence but through other mechanisms.
The genetic material in our cells acquires chemical changes and modifications, which are largely erased between generations so we start a blank slate and develop according to genetic instructions.
Some cells contain a complete genome from one parent or the other, and this can actually switch during your life.
Hardships like stress, nicotine exposure, and starvation or overfeeding can lead to adaptive traits in the next generation.
Model organisms like c.elegans (worms) are used to study specific traits, diseases, or phenomena in their entirety.
Memories are changes in behavior in response to what happened in the past, and the brain is capable of synthesizing information about the environment and internal state.
