How Low Can They Go: Unusually Small RNAOctober 21, 2009Let’s all do the ncRNA limbo! They may not be as festive as the dance at the office holiday party, but non-coding RNAs are really getting down…in size anyway! It seems every few months, we’re learning about a new class of RNAs that’s even shorter than before. Recent work from Bino John’s group at the […]
Non-Coding (RNA) Doesn’t Have to Mean Non-SenseOctober 14, 2009Our understanding of non-coding RNAs has ramped up like a quarter pipe at the X Games over the last several years and, if recent publications are any indication, we’ve only scratched the surface. The realization that just a sliver of our vast transcriptomes is protein-coding, much of it is churned out in both directions, and […]
Epigenetic Cancer Therapy – Not Just for DNA AnymoreOctober 14, 2009Researchers studying cancer epigenetics therapies dream of days when we might be able to control DNA methylation like our car stereos…less treble, little more bass. 5 Aza is one of the early leaders in the epi pipeline, and like a lot of therapeutics out there, we learn more about how it impacts other cellular processes […]
The Emerging Players in the Epigenetics of HypoxiaOctober 14, 2009Even beyond its most obvious consequence – death — oxygen deprivation has profound effects on cells and tissues. A couple of recent papers highlight some connections between epigenetics and hypoxia. Anaerobic respiration is great for brewing beer. But add O2 and the yeasty beasties stop fermenting. It’s the same principle – only in reverse – […]
The First Completed DNA Methylomes Cover All the BasesOctober 14, 2009Halfway into October, we’re deep into post-season baseball. Although, the Padres haven’t given us local San Diegans much to boast about this year (or last), local standouts at the Salk Institute and UCSD knocked one out of the park this week in Nature. Here’s a team that really knows how to cover the bases, all […]
