OneStep For DNAm qPCR, One Giant Leap For DNAm AnalysisApril 19, 2011In the past, the route to locus-specific methylation detection resembled more of a brutal molecular biology pentathlon than a microfuge tube. If you’re into that kind of abuse, that’s cool, but you probably won’t be interested in Zymo’s new OneStep qMethyl™ Kit. This slick system closes the lid on the old school tool set and […]
DNA Methylation Keeps iPS Cells Living in the PastApril 19, 2011Some people are convinced that they’ve lived a past life, recalling snippets of someone else’s memories from a different time and place. Now, without the benefit of hypnosis, researchers have discovered that induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells also retain transcriptional memories of past lives as somatic cells, which can be at least partially explained by […]
DNA Methylation May be Secret to Dieting SuccessApril 13, 2011The theory behind most diets seems simple enough: Eat less calories; Lose more weight. But we all know that’s way easier said than done, and now there’s some epigenetic reasons why. A new study found that promoter methylation of key obesity linked genes can predict the success of low-calorie diets. Researchers from the University of […]
miRNAs Better at Predicting Outcome Than NCAA SeedsApril 12, 2011After this year’s March Madness Tournament, many people are wondering whether predictive measures have any relation to outcome in the real world. Luckily, scientists are too busy to watch that many basketball games. Since the best defense is a good offense, researchers from Luxembourg and Seattle teamed up to try to identify markers that could […]
Formaldehyde Fumes Foil miRNA ExpressionApril 12, 2011Anyone who’s gotten too close while pouring an RNA gel knows the eye-burning, nose-hair-singeing bite of formaldehyde fumes. Even outside the lab, we breathe in trace levels of formaldehyde released from car exhaust and manufacturing processes. Now researchers at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill have uncovered changes in miRNA expression of lung cells exposed […]
