Epigenetics of Maternal and Paternal Effects
The inaugural Frontiers in Reproductive Epigenetics symposium was held May 12 and focused on parental effects, when the genotype of the mother or father rather than the genotype of the individual determines phenotype. These phenomena are now investigated extensively at the molecular level and the results often point to specific epigenetic modifiers affecting the egg or sperm. Epigenetic disturbances in the gametes can have long-lasting effects on the offspring and even on future generations.