Fetal Stress: The Imprinting of GenerationsAugust 13, 2013Stress gets to us all on occasion. Whether it’s the more familiar stress that leads to hair-tearing-out, or some other version like coping with a bully, plants dealing with temperature changes, or even alcohol exposure as a fetus, stress has been shown to have profound effects on individuals down to an epigenetic level. But as […]
RRBS Dives Deep into Zebrafish Brain MethylomesAugust 12, 2013Get ready for the Zebrafishnado! OK, a tornado filled with cute little aquarium fish isn’t nearly as terrifying as a Sharknado, but a whirlwind of new data on zebrafish methylomes did reveal that their DNA methylation patterns are pretty unique compared to other species, including humans. Scientists from New Zealand realized that no one had […]
DNA Methylation Adds Variety to Human PopulationsAugust 7, 2013If variety is the spice of life, then DNA methylation sure seems to be supplying some of the flavor. A new study shows that DNA methylation isn’t just responsible for the differences in individuals, but for variations in populations as well. We’re no strangers to the way that DNA methylation can differ in diseases and […]
Purity By Design – Zymo Research Cleans Up DNA for Epigenetic AnalysisAugust 6, 2013Question the design of your spin column. All spin columns are not created equal, and designs from some other companies may result in buffer retention, even after centrifugation. The buffer carry-over can contain high concentrations of salts, detergents, and other buffer components that are eventually eluted from the column along with your DNA or RNA […]
MeCP2, Rett Syndrome and Getting to Know the Brain with Dr. Adrian BirdAugust 6, 2013Dr. Adrian Bird discusses what MeCP2 has to do with Rett Syndrome, and researchers still have a long way to go towards understanding the human brain. MeCP2, Rett Syndrome and Getting to Know the Brain with Dr. Adrian Bird I think the protein we work on, MeCP2, which recognizes methylated DNA, we knew it recognized […]