Analysis of the influence of genomic differentiation on phenotype - monozygotic twins studies

Monozygotic twins are formed from the division of one egg fertilized by one sperm. Hence, MZTs have been used to be regarded as identical both physically and genetically. Nevertheless, an increasing number of reports clearly indicate the occurrence of phenotypic differences between MZTs, including differences in sick-healthy status. Assuming that the genomes and epigenomes of identical twins are almost identical, it is much easier to pinpoint the differences and relate them to a feature that has occurred in only one of the twins than with other or no kinship. The aim of the present project is to identify genetic and/or epigenetic changes underlying the phenotypic differences observed between monozygotic twins, in a setting where one of the twins within the same pair is chronically ill and the other is healthy.