Optimized Stem Cell Differentiation Protocol Aims to Mend Broken HeartsOctober 30, 2014Broken hearts aren’t just for country songs. Millions of people die each year from cardiovascular disease and related complications. Damage to the muscles of the heart during events such as heart attacks is mostly irreversible and severely affects length and quality of life for those who survive. Creating replacement muscle cells – or cardiomyocytes – […]
Histone Modification Reading Domains Crack Complex CombosOctober 30, 2014Having alternatives is always great, particularly when it comes to studying histone modifications. By using some recombinant proteins of histone reading domains, researchers from the lab of Albert Jeltsch at Stuttgart University (Germany) recently demonstrated that these domains might just one-up antibodies when it comes to deciphering the combos of the histone code. Lead author Goran Kungulovski shares that “Histone […]
Developmental Origin of Schizophrenia-Associated DNA MethylationOctober 30, 2014Schizophrenia is one complex disease, with a number of subtypes and an origin unknown. However, despite it’s complexity, recent evidence points toward an interaction between genes and environment that are mediated by the epigenome. Further adding to the complexity is the fact that most patients are treated with powerful antipsychotics that also remodel the epigenome in […]
Pol II Gives Cells Pause During Somatic Cell ReprogrammingOctober 27, 2014Few inventions have led the convenience revolution more so than the remote control. The Pause, Play, and Fast-forward buttons give us complete command of our entertainment while we relax after a hard day at work. But little did we know that researchers from the group of Miguel A. Esteban (Chinese Academy of Sciences) haven’t been […]
m6A RNA Methylation Modifications Helps Cells to Forget Stem Cell PastOctober 25, 2014When it comes to post-translational modifications, it’s fair to say that DNA and proteins have taken most of the limelight in epigenetics. RNA modifications have been largely relegated to the role of supporting actor. Not content with nucleosomes taking all the credit, a team of Stanford and Harvard researchers now demonstrate the importance of RNA […]
