Intergenerational Transfer of Epigenetic Information in Sperm

Abstract

The inheritance of information beyond DNA sequence, known as epigenetic inheritance, has been implicated in a multitude of biological processes from control of plant flowering time to cancer in humans. In addition to epigenetic inheritance that occurs in dividing cells of a multicellular organism, it is also increasingly clear that at least some epigenetic information is transmitted via the gametes in a multitude of organisms, including mammals. Here, I review the evidence for epigenetic information carriers in mammalian sperm, and explore the emerging field of intergenerational transfer of environmental information.