Guide: Getting Started with ChIP-SeqFebruary 27, 2013Chromatin-immunoprecipitation (ChIP) followed by sequencing of the immuno-precipitated DNA is a powerful tool for the investigation of Protein:DNA interactions. To perform ChIP-seq, chromatin is isolated from cells or tissues and fragmented. Antibodies against chromatin associated proteins are used to enrich for specific chromatin fragments. The DNA is recovered, sequenced and aligned to a reference genome […]
The Ups and Downs of miRNA and MeCP2 in Fetal BrainsFebruary 26, 2013What goes up must come down. And in the developing human brain, when miR-483-5p levels go up, it makes MeCP2 levels go down, according to researchers in a recent report. Problems with MeCP2 cause Rett Syndrome and other neurological disorders. MeCP2 levels are low in fetal stages of development, but high after birth in the […]
EpiGenie Reviews: Genomic Imprinting – Methods and ProtocolsFebruary 24, 2013Genomic imprinting, or examining instances where paternal and maternal genomes aren’t represented equally, has kept many brilliant minds busy for decades. It has also established the foundations for emerging field of epigenetics. In the 2012 update of Genomic Imprinting: Methods and Protocols, edited by Nora Engel, experts in the field cover the most up to […]
High Def DNA Methylome Maps Point Out Male and Female Germ Cell DifferencesFebruary 20, 2013What sets males and females apart? Actually, let’s not head there, but how about at the methylome level? Quite a bit it appears. In a recent paper, researchers from Japan report that male and female primordial germ cells (PGCs) have different methylomes during development—at least in mice. While these germ cells divide and move to […]
Go Small with EpiSeeker Bisulfite Modification Kit – Whole CellFebruary 14, 2013In DNA methylation studies, some of the biggest findings come in the smallest sample sizes. But if you’re not using the right bisulfite conversion system, potential gold in samples like tissue biopsies, microdissected samples, and stem cells might be off limits. That is of course, unless you’re using a slick system like Abcam’s Bisulfite Modification […]
