Epigenetics

Epigenetics - RNA switches are not the only thing that can turn on and off genes.

I like this description I found about epigenetics in the article <a href="http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/01/twins/miller-text">A Thing or Two About Twins</a>.

“If you think of our DNA as an immense piano keyboard and our genes as keys—each key symbolizing a segment of DNA responsible for a particular note, or trait, and all the keys combining to make us who we are—then epigenetic processes determine when and how each key can be struck, changing the tune being played.”

Also an <a href="http://www.garvan.org.au/news-events/news/cancer-study-overturns-current-thinking-about-gene-activation.html">australien cancer</a> study came up with an interesting find. Turns out there are some epigenetic "masterswitches"

"In this study, we identified 35 domains including 251 genes. While the genes may seem to be functionally unrelated, their coordinated regulation in the cancer genome suggests the presence of epigenetic 'master controllers' that can switch on or off very large regions of DNA.