Big Things Come in Small Packages: Nanobodies Enter the Epigenetic Editing RingFebruary 4, 2021While we have seen many contenders for the title of heavyweight champion in the epigenetic editing ring, the adage “big things come in small packages” has taken on a new meaning. Nanobodies, or single-domain antibodies, demonstrate that featherweights can pack an explosive epigenetic editing punch by using their opponents’ momentum against them. Researchers led by […]
EpiGo-KRAB: A New, Live-action Tool to Edit and Visualize Heterochromatin Formation in Living ColorJanuary 26, 2021Like any live-action remake, vibrant colors are essential for a new epigenetic editing tool that simultaneously introduces H3K9me3 at hundreds of targeted loci while also allowing for HD visualization of the heterochromatic results. Now, let’s meet the stars of this show that were cast by a team led by Hanhui Ma from ShanghaiTech University. H3K9me3 […]
Sperm Throw “Three-pointers” to Ensure Transgenerational Epigenetic InheritanceJanuary 26, 2021In the game of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, many labs have been searching for a slam dunk. Now, in a game-changing new article, ballers from the laboratory of Michael K. Skinner (Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA) provide a play-by-play of how teamwork between non-coding RNA expression, DNA methylation, and histone modifications allows rat sperm to […]
Storm Chasing: Cell-Free DNA Methylation Tracks the Severity and Location of COVID-19 DamageJanuary 25, 2021As the COVID-19 cytokine storm brews in our bodies, the severity and location of the damage remains uncertain. However, exciting new findings from a storm chasing team led by Iwijn De Vlaminck (Cornell University) show that cell-free DNA (cfDNA) methylation profiles can track the affected organs and severity of COVID-19 damage in patients. Although we’ve seen that DNA […]
NanoNOMe Combines Nanopore and NOMe-seq to Mine the Allele-specific EpigenomeJanuary 18, 2021Gnomes are small magical creatures that mine for treasures, so you might wonder if a nanoNOMe is an even tinier being. Well actually it’s a new molecular technique, but its applications are nothing short of magical. Several methods have been developed to probe DNA methylation, transcription factors, and chromatin state simultaneously. Many are based on […]