Figure 2.
A summary of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in C. elegans. A. Epigenetic silencing of transgenes and endogenous loci can be initiated by exogenous RNA, endogenous piRNAs, and a multi-copy intergenic region. Silencing persists after loss of the initiating trigger in the germline (black bars) or soma (blue bars). Bars represent transmission efficiency at each generation. B. Gene expression and physiological changes initiated by an environmental stress or methyltransferase inactivity can be persist transgenerationally. C. Key for parts A and B. ND: Not determined. N/A: Not applicable.