Zeroing in on miRNA Targets with HITS-CLIPJune 24, 2009With only a modest, 6-8 nucleotide seed region required for pairing, miRNAs theoretically aren’t too fussy when it comes to which mRNAs they pair up with. But don’t let this apparent “beer goggle” regulation fool you. When it comes down to miRNA binding in vivo, miRNAs might be a little more discriminating than previously suggested. […]
miRNA qRT-PCR Data Normalization Gets MeanJune 23, 2009Although qRT-PCR has become a popular way to profile miRNAs, it has a dirty little secret that nobody likes to talk much about; data normalization. Without convenient “housekeeping genes” to use as internal references, like you would with mRNAs, researchers have had to settle for second rate options to normalize data from miRNA experiments. A […]
Move Over MeDIP: Methyl Binding Proteins Enrich Methylation StudiesJune 18, 2009Since their debut with tiling microarrays back in 2005, DNA methylation affinity reagents have rapidly become a weapon of choice for prepping samples for genome-wide methylation studies. In the last few years enrichment methods have evolved almost as rapidly as the technology platforms on which they’re analyzed. Let’s take a look at some of the […]
Gene Bodies Take the “Hot Bod” Title for 2009June 18, 2009Like many other websites looking to boost their traffic, we couldn’t resist calling attention to a few hot bodies. Back in the day, Golgi Bodies were a hot research focus, and for good reason–these mini protein boot camps put the final touches on our critical cellular proteins before sending them on to their job assignments. […]
DZNep Hints At New Wave Of Epigenetic Cancer TherapiesJune 15, 2009Although it may sound like the name of a DJ in a Vegas nightclub, DZNep is actually a histone methylation inhibitor, and has recently created some buzz when it was found to inhibit H3K27 and H4K20 methylation and reactivate silenced genes in cancer cells. Sensing the therapeutic possibilities, Peter Jones and his team at USC […]
