Getting started with Chromatin Conformation Capture (3C)February 15, 2015The concept of chromatin contact mapping, or determining the three-dimensional structure conformation and interactions of chromatin domains, is now a reality because of Chromatin Conformation Capture (3C) and subsequent methods born out of that approach. Several new 3C-based techniques have emerged, each with particular strengths and applications, but the sheer variety creates a challenge when […]
New Transcriptional Repressors for Pick ‘N’ Mix Synthetic Gene CircuitsFebruary 15, 2015As a kid there was no greater feeling on a weekend shopping trip than being set loose on the Pick ‘N’ Mix, carefully choosing from the wealth of candy to create the perfect selection. Lucky for you synthetic biology promises the same thrill, by providing a selection of ready-to-roll interchangeable parts to choose from allowing […]
Plant Receptor Re-engineered to Hear “Drought!” From a New SignalFebruary 12, 2015Don’t get me wrong, plants have a lot of things going for them. However, as Groot’s fellow Galaxy Guardians can attest, vocabulary isn’t one of them. It can be hard to communicate with plants, even once you figure out their language. Take the plant abscisic acid (ABA) receptor, PYR1, for example. PYR1 communicates via ABA, […]
Expressed Long Non-coding RNAs Snitch on Tissue-specific EnhancersFebruary 11, 2015Predicting tissue-specific enhancers is a tricky business. While histone marks such as H3K4me1 and binding of p300 are good enhancer predictors, pointing out which enhancers are tissue-specific is more of a challenge. That is, of course, unless you have PreSTIGE – an algorithm developed by the Scacheri lab that identifies tissue-specific enhancers by combining H3K4me1 […]
Stem Cells Take the Sting out of RadiotherapyFebruary 11, 2015Radiotherapy is an important and effective tool in the war against cancer, but its use for treating brain tumors brings with it unwanted side effects that can cause long term suffering to the patient. Radiation induces the depletion of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) which leads to the loss of the protective myelin sheath that covers […]
