Parents pass on more than copies of their genes to their offspring. They also pass along directions for how and when to use them. These instructions are delivered as special chemical markers tacked onto chromosomes. But where and how those chemical messages are delivered has remained a mystery, until now.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory scientists have dug up the secrets of this process in a plant called Arabidopsis thaliana. It turns out two proteins named DDM1 and H3.3 work together to make sure the right amount of markers are added.
The scientists used a combination of genetics, genomics, cryo-EM and fluorescence microscopy to see these proteins in action. The video above captures critical components of the cell division dance in details never before seen. Press play to pull back the curtain on epigenetic inheritance.
Read the related story: How plants pass down genetic memories