Ed, That's a good point about synapses, but perhaps the methylation just affects the neuron's output, e.g., the targeted genes express proteins that only find a functional role in the axon.
Terren --- On Wed, 12/3/08, Ed Porter <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Richard, > > The role played by the epigenome in genetics actually does > have a slightly > Lamarckian tinge. Nova had a show saying that when > identical twins are born > their epigenomes are very similar, but that as they age > their epigenomes > start to differ more an more, and that certain behaviors > like drinking or > smoking can increase the rate at which such changes take > place. > > What I didn't understand about the article you linked > to is that it appears > they are changing the epigenome to change the expression of > DNA, but as far > as I know DNA only appears in the nucleus (with the > exception of > mitochondirial DNA), and thus would appear to affect the > cell as a whole, > and thus not be good at differentially affecting the > strengths of different > synapses --- as would presumably be required for most > neuronal memory --- > unless the nuclear DNA had some sort of mapping to > individual synapses, or > unless local changes to mitochondrial DNA, near a synapse > are involved. The > article does not appear to shed in any light on this issue > of how changes in > the expression of DNA would affect learning at the synapse > level, where most > people think it occurs. > > Ed Porter > > -----Original Message----- > From: Richard Loosemore [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 11:12 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [agi] Lamarck Lives!(?) > > > Am I right in thinking that what these people: > > http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20026845.000-memories-may-be-stored-on > -your-dna.html > > > are saying is that memories can be stored as changes in the > DNA inside > neurons? > > If so, that would upset a few apple carts. > > Would it mean that memories (including cultural > adaptations) could be > passed from mother to child? > > Implication for neuroscientists proposing to build a WBE > (whole brain > emulation): the resolution you need may now have to > include all the DNA > in every neuron. Any bets on when they will have the > resolution to do that? > > > > Richard Loosemore > > > > ------------------------------------------- > agi > Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/303/=now > RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/303/ > Modify Your Subscription: > https://www.listbox.com/member/?&; > Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com > > > > ------------------------------------------- > agi > Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/303/=now > RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/303/ > Modify Your Subscription: > https://www.listbox.com/member/?&; > Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com ------------------------------------------- agi Archives: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/303/=now RSS Feed: https://www.listbox.com/member/archive/rss/303/ Modify Your Subscription: https://www.listbox.com/member/?member_id=8660244&id_secret=120640061-aded06 Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
