The body controls the genome through DNA methylation and compaction, dictating cell type and function.

“And those chemicals, there are many different types of chemicals, but one's called methylation. Those little menthols will mark which songs get played for the rest of your life. And there are other that change daily. But in total, what we're saying is that the body controls the genome through the ability to mark the DNA and then compact some parts of it, silence those genes, don't read those genes and open others, keep others open that should stay open. And that pattern of genes that are silent and open, silent, open, is what dictates the cells type the cells function.”