RCN: Epigenetics, Behavior and Reproduction

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One of the most significant advances in Biology in the past 10 years is the development of the field of Epigenetics. Epigenetics literally means ?above the gene? and it describes a set of mechanisms whereby changes in gene structure can occur in an organism without any alternations to the DNA sequence, the building blocks of the genetic code. The mechanisms by which these changes occur are still unclear, but they include biochemical modifications to proteins that spool DNA into compacted spheres allowing the packaging of the long strands of DNA into cell nuclei. These changes are dynamic and are prevalent throughout embryonic development and can also occur in response to environmental stimuli. Another important process that occurs during embryonic development is the specification of gender differences in how male and female brains become organized. Early indications in this area of research suggest that factors that cause these brain changes are also part of the epigenetic machinery in cells, but few studies have brought these two research fields together in a cohesive manner. The immediate objective of this Research Coordinating Network (RCN) on Epigenetic Approaches to Sex Differences is to develop a structured framework whereby Behavioral and Molecular Biologists along with Bioinformaticians and Geneticists can collaborate directly using state-of-the art technology to address emerging questions focusing on the intersections between epigenetic mechanisms and gender differences of brain development. To achieve this we will hold a yearly meeting, develop a website to share information and protocols, and encourage students to move between laboratories to learn new techniques. The potential impact of the work includes novel insights into how the genders respond differentially to their environments. For example, women are apparently more susceptible to post-traumatic stress syndrome than men are after serving in combat. Thus, work from this RCN may help to explain how differences in cellular responses to stress influence important gender discrepancies in physiology and/or behavior.