C.elegans Studies Worm into the Fundamentals of Transgenerational Epigenetic InheritanceSeptember 21, 2020While a “bird’s-eye view” of a topic can often provide colossal insight, the opposite perspective can sometimes be just as useful! Recently, two fascinating studies of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance have taken a “worm’s-eye view” of this research area to deepen our understanding of this complex mechanism in the model nematode worm C. elegans. C. elegans […]
Choosing Sides: Tsix RNA Decapping Initiates the X Chromosome Inactivation CascadeSeptember 9, 2020When it comes to X inactivation there are a huge number of studies that eXist. Despite being one of the best-studied epigenetic phenomena, the molecular decision making process behind the initiation of X chromosome inactivation (XCI) had remained far from fully understood. The regulation of the long non-coding RNA Xist initiates XCI. Xist’s antisense partner […]
A TET1 Thermostat Cranks up the Heat in Beige AdipocytesSeptember 9, 2020Many of us eagerly reach for the thermostat to crank up the heat a little as summer turns to fall, and now, a team of red-hot researchers studying heat generation in adipose tissue have discovered that the ten-eleven translocation 1 (TET1) DNA demethylase forms part of an epigenetic thermostat that could provide a means to […]
TET2 Overtrims the Methylation Hedges at Enhancers in Parkinson’s Disease NeuronsAugust 25, 2020It takes real restraint to prevent a routine hedge trim from turning into a horticultural horror show; and like an overzealous landscaper, new research shows that TET2 may be mowing down the methylome in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) neurons. The cognitive and motor symptoms of PD are caused by the degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons in the […]
Epitranscriptomic tRNA Study Finally Reveals the “Y” of Aggressive Colon TumorsAugust 25, 2020Away with you Holmes, begone Poirot, and bye-bye Nancy Drew, because a terrific team of epigenetic detectives has solved an epitranscriptomic cold case to reveal the “Y” of aggressive colon tumors by linking CpG island promoter DNA hypermethylation of a key epitranscriptomic modifier and a transfer RNA (tRNA) modification to tumorigenesis. Epitranscriptomics includes the modification […]
