What does "epigenetics" study?

Epigenetics specifically studies how genes interact with environmental factors to influence gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence. This field explores mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA molecules, which can enable or silence genes based on external influences such as lifestyle, diet, and environmental exposures.

This understanding is vital as it underscores the dynamic nature of gene expression, emphasizing that genes can be regulated in response to environmental changes, leading to diverse phenotypic outcomes. Epigenetic modifications can potentially be passed down to subsequent generations, making this area of study particularly relevant in both genetics and public health, as it connects genetic predispositions with environmental impacts on health outcomes.

The other options focus on different aspects of genetics. The structure of DNA pertains to its physical characteristics and molecular composition, inheritance explicitly refers to the transmission of genetic traits from one generation to another, and evolution examines the changes in species over time due to various mechanisms like natural selection. While all these fields are related to genetics, they do not encapsulate the specific focus of epigenetics, which is primarily on gene-environment interactions.