Effects of environmental toxicants reach down through generations

A Washington State University researcher has shown that a variety of chemicals have negative effects on the exposed animal and the next 3 generations of its offspring. That's right, the great-grandchildren still are affected.

While the lettering of the DNA sequence is unchanged, modifications to the nucleic acid letters (nucleotides) affect how the gene is turned on or off.

Researchers went beyond just testing pesticides and fungicides and demonstrated pesticide mixtures (permethrin and insect repellant DEET), plastic mixtures (bisphenol A and phthalates), dioxin (TCDD) and hydrocarbon mixtures (jet fuel, JP8) cause these epigenetic changes.

I wonder how many more man-made compounds will be added to this list? 

Read the Science Daily article HERE. 

Read the full article HERE.

Washington State University (2012, March 2). Effects of environmental toxicants reach down through generations. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 12, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­/releases/2012/03/120302101821.htm