Multiplexed Epigenome Editing Rouses a “Sleeping Dog” to Treat a Neurodevelopmental DisorderFebruary 20, 2023“Let sleeping dogs lie” is sound advice for those who want to stay out of trouble! However, an eye-opening epigenome editing study now suggests that rousing the “sleeping” methyl CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene from the inactive X chromosome may represent a therapeutic opportunity for girls with Rett Syndrome – an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder that […]
mRNA Shows Its Age and Quiets Down the Immune System with Cap2 MethylationFebruary 14, 2023Wrinkles, gray hair, … Cap2 methylation on mRNA? It turns out that these are all signs of aging. Two elegant new methods to show that Cap1 gets slowly modified to Cap2 as mRNAs age. And just like boomers, they want to live the quiet life, calming down the innate immune system to prevent autoimmunity. Although […]
One More Reason to Eat Your Wheaties: Your Microbiome and Histone AcetylationFebruary 7, 2023We all know how important it is to eat fiber, whether in the form of fruits and veggies, or even a big bowl of fiber-rich cereal. Now, research from Ben Garcia’s lab (WUSTL) gives us one more reason to eat our Wheaties—our gut microbiome needs it to acetylate histones and possibly ward off diseases like […]
Chem-map: A New “GPS” to Pinpoint Where Small Molecules Bind ChromatinFebruary 7, 2023With all the GPS trackers and map apps out there, it’s almost impossible to get lost. But even though we know what a lot of small molecules are doing, we can lose track of exactly where those molecules are. That’s why Shankar Balasubramanian’s lab (University of Cambridge) developed Chem-map. Knowing this info could help researchers […]
You Aren’t Going Crazy – Losing It at the Epigenetic Level Really Drives Aging!February 6, 2023Information loss can drive us crazy – from ruining a potential culinary masterpiece to turning a Lego-building afternoon into a nightmare, but can “losing it” at the epigenetic level drive aging and turn a young whippersnapper into an old fogey? We know all too well about age-related epigenetic changes, and now a team led by […]
