Cannabis and Tobacco Produce a Double Hit on the EpigenomeMay 12, 2020While the epigenetic impacts of cannabis have been seen in sperm and adolescents, the effects on adults have not been well studied in large-scale studies. It’s commonly believed that smoking cannabis is less damaging than smoking tobacco; however, this is not backed by an abundance of actual data. Smoking tobacco is associated with numerous DNA […]
There’s More Than One Way to Scare A Mouse: Z-DNA and ADAR1 Add to Fear ExtinctionMay 5, 2020There’s already some histone modifications, and a dash of non-coding RNA, but new research adds another ingredient to the epigenetic recipe of fear memories and it’s called Z-DNA! Z-DNA occurs when the DNA molecule forms a left-handed double helix rather than the right-handed structure that we’re used to. This inside-out conformation is enriched at actively […]
Adolescent Cannabis Use Primes an Epigenetic Gateway to Cocaine AddictionMay 2, 2020When it comes to preparing for a future situation, our epigenome usually has our back; however, sometimes epigenetic alterations can prime some undesirable responses as a result of environmental exposure. With legalization occurring in many states and nations, research into how cannabis alters our epigenome has entered the spotlight. We have recently seen that cannabis […]
How the Journey Towards Sperm Maturation Can Leave Offspring Stressed Out!April 23, 2020Queues! Security! Lost passports! While many will be currently reminiscing about the fun and frolics enjoyed during old holidays to far-flung exotic destinations, we generally choose to forget the enduring stress of the outward journey. However, a fascinating new study now provides evidence that any stress endured by maturing sperm during their epic voyage is […]
Dop(Ey)mine: The Seventh Dwarf Of Histone Modifications Makes A Big Impact In The BrainApril 19, 2020Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the newest histone modification of all? We know that methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, ubiquination, and even citrullination have been toiling away in the chromatin mines, but a new study from the brainy team who discovered serotonylation suggests that dopamine is also hard at work on histone tails, where it highlights […]