Identical Twins Carry Distinctive Epigenetic Marks: Study

Researchers found more than 800 sites in the genome where the twins bore the same chemical tags.

Chloe Tenn

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ABOVE: Two sets of identical twins © ISTOCK.COM, _JURE

Sets of identical twins famously have much in common with one another. In a Dutch study published September 28 in Nature Communications, scientists find that they also have something in common with other identical twins the world over: a set of matching marks on their DNA. The researchers studied around 6,000 pairs of twins of varying ages from around the world, analyzing hundreds of thousands of sites on their genomes. Their finding of 834 sites in the genome with marks distinct to identical, but not fraternal, twins could provide clues to how identical twins come about, researchers say.

While the basics of how identical twins originate is clear, the mystery lies in why. Identical twins arise from a single fertilized egg, or zygote, splitting into embryos with duplicate DNA, but what causes the split remains unknown. Zygote splitting was once thought ...

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Meet the Author

Chloe Tenn
Chloe Tenn is a graduate of North Carolina State University, where she studied neurobiology, English, and forensic science. Fascinated by the intersection of science and society, she has written for organizations such as NC Sea Grant and the Smithsonian. Chloe also works as a freelancer with AZoNetwork, where she ghostwrites content for biotechnology, pharmaceutical, food, energy, and environmental companies. She recently completed her MSc Science Communication from the University of Manchester, where she researched how online communication impacts disease stigma. You can check out more of her work here.
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