A CHARMing Epigenetic Editor Enchants Endogenous DNA Methylation Machinery to Pause Prion DiseaseJuly 8, 2024While George Clooney or Cate Blanchett exude a degree of charm, a captivating new epigenetic advance may outdo them both! A new study now describes a compact epigenetic editor known as “CHARM” that engages the cell’s own DNA methylation machinery to stop a fatal neurodegenerative disease in its tracks. A charismatic crew guided by Sonia […]
cfDNA Methylation Analysis Captures the Double Trouble of Inflammaging!July 1, 2024Analyzing cell-free (cf)DNA methylation from liquid biopsies represents a non-invasive approach to profile various diseases, but what if it could help us understand the devious duo of inflammaging – aging and inflammation? A talented team has dealt with this “double trouble” by applying enzymatic methyl-seq (EM-seq) to evaluate cfDNA methylation patterns. Researchers headed by Jian-Ping […]
DNA Methylation Differences in Imprinting Control Regions Contribute to Ethnic Disparities in Alzheimer’s Disease RiskMay 28, 2024Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) patients have a two-fold higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients for unknown reasons; now, a fascinating epigenetics study reveals the involvement of DNA methylation at imprinting control regions (ICRs). Researchers headed by Randy L. Jirtle and Cathrine Hoyo (North Carolina State University) explored ethnic variation in disease […]
eBook: DNA Methylation 2024May 15, 2024DNA methylation, whether in cells or in a cell-free environment, is one of the most powerful and most studied epigenetic regulators of gene expression and genomic organization. This is true for nearly all organisms, leading to the emergence of numerous methods for mapping 5-mC and 5-hmC and other modification states. There are many approaches for […]
Pregnancy Epigenetically Ages Mothers – But Breastfeeding May Reverse ItApril 22, 2024Our mothers might be onto something when they jokingly blame us for their gray hair and wrinkles. In two recent studies, DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks show that pregnancy, with its far-ranging emotional and physical changes, increases the biological ages of mothers. On the bright side, the effects were reversible in those who breastfed, according to […]
