It’s All in the Phylum: Lessons on Epigenetic Lineage From an Ancient RelativeDecember 6, 2018You won’t find amphioxus listed as close relative on 23andMe, but this humble invertebrate chordate may have paved the way for the successful vertebrates we’ve become. Although amphioxus split from the vertebrates over 500 million years ago on the phylogenetic tree, it still can offer some clues as to how vertebrates acquired such unique and […]
Stella is the Star that Prevents Aberrant DNA Methylation During OogenesisDecember 4, 2018The mammalian zygote is a platform for a multi-act show of dramatic rises and falls in DNA methylation. However, new research suggests that backstage, in the developing oocyte, resides the real star of the show: Stella. Stella oversees the complex choreography of DNA methyltransferases and the supporting cast to make sure the right cues are […]
Getting Personal with Your Blood Methylome: Continuous DNA Methylation Monitoring Anticipates DiabetesNovember 19, 2018In our futuristic world, personalization is a standard. While your watch, phone, and laptop, may be accentuated by personalizations that keep tabs on you, your methylome may not be so lucky. Thankfully, the research group of Michael Snyder has broadcast some insight of the most personal nature from their lab in the city of the […]
Twins R A Help for Studying Methylation in Rheumatoid ArthritisOctober 9, 2018If you think the best thing about being an identical twin is pulling off great pranks in school, think again. Identical (monozygotic) twins can also use their powers for good. The lab of Jane Worthington (University of Manchester, UK) has harnessed the power of twins to examine DNA methylation in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Because RA […]
Colossal New Roadmap Study Provides Single-Chromosome View on Sequence-Dependent Allele-Specific MethylationOctober 7, 2018Colossal, gigantic, mammoth, immense; none of these adjectives appropriately describes the amount of research carried out or curated by the National Institute of Health Roadmap Epigenomics Mapping Consortium, whose final goal is to produce a public resource of human epigenomic data to drive forward basic biology and disease-oriented research. As part of this research, scientists […]
