Gene Bodies Take the “Hot Bod” Title for 2009June 18, 2009Like many other websites looking to boost their traffic, we couldn’t resist calling attention to a few hot bodies. Back in the day, Golgi Bodies were a hot research focus, and for good reason–these mini protein boot camps put the final touches on our critical cellular proteins before sending them on to their job assignments. […]
DZNep Hints At New Wave Of Epigenetic Cancer TherapiesJune 15, 2009Although it may sound like the name of a DJ in a Vegas nightclub, DZNep is actually a histone methylation inhibitor, and has recently created some buzz when it was found to inhibit H3K27 and H4K20 methylation and reactivate silenced genes in cancer cells. Sensing the therapeutic possibilities, Peter Jones and his team at USC […]
DNA Methylation: Thinking Outside the Promoter to Determine LineageJune 9, 2009Promoters get all the glory when it comes to gene regulation. Sure, they’re important, but save a little love for enhancers—they may help cells decide what to be when they grow up! Historically, most methylation studies have focused on promoters, but instead of giving all the attention to these spotlight hogs, researchers at University Hospital […]
Curing Transposable Elements May Sicken Nearby Coding GenesJune 4, 2009As in many aspects of life, curing the genome of transposable elements (TEs) may be a trade-off. To stop TEs from bouncing all over the genome, cells often resort to small RNA-mediated methylation. But researchers at UC Irvine have discovered that silencing TEs that settle in close to coding regions can reduce the expression of […]
New Analysis Combos Reveal More Gene Body DNA MethylationApril 10, 2009Hey, sometimes more really is, well, more. Lately in the sequencing arena, we’ve heard a lot about some really slick advances in targeted sample enrichment and other ways to sequence less real estate in exchange for more coverage and better data. Such enrichment methods should be equally useful to epigenetics as they are in current […]
