eBook: Chromatin & Gene ExpressionJune 14, 2023Gene expression is regulated by a range of factors, but ultimately begins with chromatin – it’s structure, configuration, activation, and “openness”. All of these factors can be dynamically regulated by epigenetics. In this eBook, we bring to your attention some of the most interesting articles in chromatin biology and gene expression, from practical methods to […]
Single-Molecule Methylation Profiles of Cell-Free Cancer DNA—Without Playing GamesJune 14, 2023Sometimes, you have to jump through a lot of hoops to get what you want. Hanlee Ji’s lab (Stanford) must be tired of playing those games because they’ve developed a direct single-molecule methylation nanopore sequencing approach for cell-free DNA (cfDNA) that doesn’t involve bisulfite conversion or even PCR. And yet it works on nanogram or […]
Copper Controls the Epigenetic Regulation of Inflammation? Element-ary, my Dear Watson!June 13, 2023While some problems simply need a Deerstalker and a helpful sidekick to solve, discovering the cellular processes controlling inflammation has been less of an “element-ary” task! Now, an epigenetic study (in Scarlet?) links inflammation to a mechanism involving a membrane protein, the uptake of copper, and histone modifications in macrophages! A team of epigenetic investigators […]
Move Over Caloric Restriction – Hungry-Hungry Histones Slow Aging!May 30, 2023Kick the kebab, bin the burger, axe the avocado toast?! While caloric restriction represents a hunger-inducing yet effective means to extend lifespans, a tasty new study highlights how “hungry-hungry histones” create a neural hunger “state” that slows aging (even when getting our fill), suggesting that growing old may be more delicious than we think! While […]
Gene Topology or Gene Expression? NSD1 Chooses Both to Protect the BrainMay 23, 2023We have to make a lot of decisions in our lives, but sometimes when given two choices, going with both can be the right answer. For example, researchers working on neurodevelopment figured out two different phenomena that regulate non-CG methylation in the postnatal brain, but how are they connected? Now, Harrison Gabel’s lab (Washington University […]