Gene Expression - Arthur De Vany Members

Recent articles

Epigenetics, a quick overview Jun 19, 2011: We had some questions in our Members Forum about epigenetics.

Discover Magazine has a decent overview of epigenetics. I find it interesting that the title of the article is the same line I have used for years: "DNA is not destiny."

Genes are not computer programs Apr 18, 2011: Sometimes I wonder how it came to be thought that the genes were central controllers, like digital programs for the body and all its functions, that were not altered by inputs. A program can't do anything unless it receives external inputs and the inputs crucially alter what the program produces as output. The same is true of genes; they respond to inputs, epigenetic factors such as what we eat, our activities, and the outputs of other parts of the genome. Epigentic factors even modify the program. There is no other way that life could be sustained because the gene is a living thing.

Cancer Chemotherapy and EF Oct 21, 2010: Just the other day I received this heartwarming story about a woman eating the EF diet while she was undergoing cancer chemotherapy. This was her own experiment, though I did send some research articles to her fiancé. They have been surprised at her increased tolerance to chemotherapy as a result of eating the way we EFers do.

There are good reasons why a great diet low in insulin-triggering glucose might help increase stress resistance to chemotherapy and speed the death of cancer cells.

Activegenomics Aug 23, 2010: We have nutrigenomics---the study of the effect of nutrients on gene expression---and metabolomics---the study of the whole of the metabolic activators circulating in the body. The idea of functional food or nutraceuticals comes from these areas of study. They are not close yet to achieving the level of knowledge required to fulfill the ideal of prescribing nutraceuticals since they have only partial maps of the genetic pathways and the combinatorial aspects of the gene/nutrient interactions, but some sensible warnings, particularly regarding excessive nutrient intakes in childern have been established.

I want to coin a name---activegenomis---for the next field in the study of gene expression and epigenetic factors. Activegenomics studies the full range of alterations in gene expression caused by activity. That is the only way one can seriously address the contemporary problem of how the evolutionarily stable active genotype can promote a healthy expression of that genotype in a world where being inactive does not threaten survival.

Reproduction: My Little Cactus May 27, 2010: This beautiful little cactus in my yard is spending about 30% of its energy to reproduce.

Another Strike Against High Glucose Jan 17, 2010: A key element of the Evolutionary Fitness approach to health is to keep glucose levels in the body low. Glucose alters gene expression in a profound way because it is a substance that was comparatively rare during the evolution of our genes.

Identical Genes (Almost), Different Bodies Dec 21, 2009: This picture of identical German twins is amazing. You can see in their faces that they are identical, but one is a runner and the other is a weight-lifter and they could not look different if they were from different planets. Gene expression is involved.