New Sequencing Technique TAPS into Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Profiles Without the BSMarch 12, 2019While trying to uncover the mysteries of the DNA methylation, a lot of BS is often required. And no, we’re not talking about workplace politics but rather sodium bisulfite (BS) conversion. Thankfully, the labs of Chun-Xiao Song and Benjamin Schuster-Böckler at Oxford University (UK) have developed a new “BS-free” approach to uncover the secrets of the […]
Don’t Turn the Other Cheek on Heterogeneity in Buccal Cell SamplesMarch 12, 2019When it comes to brushing, whether it’s your teeth or a cheek swab sample, proper technique is important. Your dentist may have already told you not to brush you teeth too hard, but it turns out how you collect a cheek swab is also important. Buccal epithelial cells are perhaps the most clinically accessible tissue […]
Epigenetic Editing with CRISPR Keeps Crops Crisp in Today’s ClimateFebruary 25, 2019While the crisper drawer of our fridge is the best way to keep our produce fresh, epigenetic editing research now brings forth CRISPR-based manipulation of DNA methylation to keep our crops crisp. This tasty treat comes at you in the form of two new publications from the lab of Steven Jacobsen (UCLA), where the talented team expand […]
Orange You Glad for Methylation’s Role in Fruit Ripening?February 12, 2019If you like to start your day with a glass of orange juice, you can thank epigenetics for that. More specifically, you can thank DNA methylation, since it’s been recently shown to play a crucial role in the ripening process of the sweet orange fruit. The collaborative efforts of Jian-Kang Zhu at Purdue University (Indiana, […]
Teasing Apart the Brain: DNA Methylation Maps of Healthy Neurons Implicate Brain Region Differences in Psychiatric DisordersJanuary 24, 2019While conducting epigenomics research, we are often faced with a number of brain teasers. To solve these cognitive conundrums, many of us turn to diseases and disorders to learn about healthy conditions. However, the methylation maestros in the labs of Andrew Feinberg and Kasper Hansen at John Hopkins University (Maryland, USA) now demonstrate the utility of […]
