Inbreeding's Downside Is Not All in the Genes - ScienceNOW
The findings also indicate that it may one day be possible to treat the deleterious effects of inbreeding with 5-azacytidine or a related compound, although this hasn't yet been tested.
To find out, Vergeer and colleagues counted the methyl groups in the genomes of inbred and outbred S. columbaria. The inbred plants showed a variety of health problems, including difficulty photosynthesizing and slow maturation. They also had 10% more methyl groups in their genomes than did outbred plants, indicating significant epigenetic changes.
Drought and poor soil tended to kill the inbred plants quickly, for example, whereas the outbred plants were hardier.
But a new study in plants indicates that it's not just genes that lead to this so-called inbreeding depression; it's also how these genes are switched on and off.
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