Genetics is the part of biology that deals with genetic material and the mechanisms of its transmission. Genetic material comprises the genetic information that is contained in DNA and that is passed on from one generation to the next. Genetics studies how this information is converted into proteins, which in turn determine the structure and function of cells and organisms.

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Epigenetics, on the other hand, is concerned with changes in the expression of genes that are not caused by changes in the DNA sequence itself, but by chemical modifications to the DNA molecules or the histones that surround the DNA. These modifications can result in certain genes being activated or deactivated in certain cells, which in turn has effects on the function and development of these cells.

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In summary, genetics and epigenetics differ in that genetics deals with genetic material and its transmission, while epigenetics deals with changes in gene expression that are not caused by changes in the DNA sequence itself.