Beyond the Sequence: Epigenomics as a Paradigm to Understand the Nuances of Phenotypes
For decades, the central dogma of biology dictated a linear flow: DNA makes RNA, and RNA makes protein. In this model, the phenotype of the observable physical and physiological traits of an organism was viewed as the rigid output of a genetic blueprint, occasionally "blurred" by environmental noise. However, the emergence of epigenomics has fundamentally shifted this perspective. Rather than viewing the genome as a static manual, we now understand it as a dynamic, reactive system. By focusing on the "nuances" of phenotypes, those subtle, continuous, and context-dependent variations that traditional genetics often overlook, epigenomics provides a new paradigm for understanding how life truly works. How Epigenomics Affects the Phenotype The "nuances" of a phenotype refer to the fine-grained variations that exist even among genetically identical individuals. Epigenomics explains these nuances through molecular mechanisms that sit "on top...