The Delicate Balance Between H3K27me2 and H3K27me3 Decides Stem Cell FateNovember 15, 2016The polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) methylates lysine 27 of histone H3 (H3K27me) via its catalytic subunit Ezh2. While H3K27me3 and H3K27me1 have been associated with gene repression and activation respectively, the exact role of H3K27me2 remains under-explored. However, recent works in temperature-sensitive drosophila and in PRC2 knock out embryonic stem cells (ESCs) suggest a role […]
Hi-C Captures Chromosome Contacts Critical to Cognition, CRISPR/Cas9 ConfirmsNovember 15, 2016In today’s world there’s not much you can be sure of, particularly when it comes to understanding the complexities of human cognition. Thankfully, the epigenome offers some much needed explanation, as demonstrated by the insight gained from DNA methylation maps of human neurodevelopment. However, genetic interactions created by 3-D chromosome structure have remained more of […]
Orthogonal, Inducible dCas9s Combinatorially Regulate Gene ExpressionNovember 15, 2016Turning gene expression up and down is a powerful use of CRISPR/Cas9. Labs around the world have been hard at work figuring out how to use CRISPR to control gene expression – including both transcriptional activation and repression, and then extending it to control translation and the epigenome. Cas9 can be light-activated, and with some […]
A CRISPR-Cas9 Pipeline for Efficiently Editing Blood Stem CellsNovember 3, 2016When it comes to gene therapy, blood diseases are prime candidates. Blood cells are constantly turning over, so you can quickly fix the blood supply if you replace the blood-producing stem cells in bone marrow; i.e., hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs). Transplanting marrow from a healthy donor is one approach, but a match can be difficult […]
Intergenerational Transmission of Extracellular dsRNA Filmed in C. elegansNovember 1, 2016Seeing is believing, whether it be a topic as hot as the upcoming presidential election or intergenerational epigenetic effects and transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. While exciting evidence on the role of sperm RNA in mammals has begun to accumulate thanks to the labs of Mansuy, Bale, and Rando, an elegant C. elegans study from the lab […]