Decrypting Transcription with Dr. Frank GrosveldJanuary 7, 2014Dr. Frank Grosveld points out how little we actually know about the details of transcription and the molecular machinery involved. Transcription Factories We have this loop structure of the genome. And at the same time, we know that every gene that’s being transcribed, that’s active, is part of what we call transcription factories. So […]
Chromatin Interaction Analysis is All About TimingJanuary 3, 2014Formaldehyde treatment is a popular way to cross-link proteins and DNA during Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP), an assay that has been widely used to characterize protein-DNA interactions. Now, a team from University of Virginia Health System has enhanced this time-tested formaldehyde fixation approach to understand how fast/slow proteins bind to DNA and the stability of chromatin […]
Epigenetic Technology: 2013 Editor’s FavoritesDecember 18, 2013In 2013, technology impacted nearly every facet of our lives: from improving Instagram selfies, to squeezing even more knowledge from epigenetics research. Check out some of our favorite Technology features from the past year: Genome Editing We love the potential of Genome Editing. Led by methods like CRISPR-Cas, this emerging field has really boomed this […]
Epigenetics 101: You Can’t Always Blame Your Parents with Alberto PerezDecember 17, 2013EpiGenie reader Dr. Albert Perez lays out some of the basic concepts behind epigenetics, and explains how being a red-head in Spain started him on a path to explore DNA and the epigenome.
Webinar: Covering all the Bases with Genome-Wide 5-mC and 5-hmC SequencingDecember 17, 2013Covering all the Bases with Genome-Wide 5-mC and 5-hmC Sequencing By Dr Keith Booher, PhD. Manager of Epigenetic Services at Zymo Research Abstract: There is an ever-increasing appreciation for the remarkable ability of epigenetic modifications, such as the methylation of cytosines in DNA (5-mC), to respond to environmental cues and influence gene expression in biological […]
Promega SIRT-Glo™ Assays Illuminate the Search for SirtuinsDecember 11, 2013Sirtuins (SIRTs) sure seem to getting around. These energetic class III HDAC enzymes have their fingerprints on everything from Alzheimer’s to Inflammation, generating enough spotlight (and even a little controversy) to make even Kanye West a feel little jealous. Promega’s new SIRT-Glo™ Assays and Screening Systems are the latest tool to help researchers study the […]
Zymo Research and Active Motif Get Props from JournalistasDecember 11, 2013Our sources report that some good friends, and fellow epigenetics advocates have been getting kudos from the scientific press. Both Zymo Research and Active Motif each garnered some well-deserved recognition recently for their contributions to the field of epigenetics research, and we thought it was only right to join in on the praise. Zymo Research […]
lncRNA Gets Classy: Chromatin Signatures Distinguish SpeciesDecember 4, 2013Everyone wants to be judged based on their own merits, and not just what group they happen to be a part of. With the help of a talented crew from the University of Oxford, lncRNAs have just been given a wonderful holiday gift to help them break free of their one-size-fits-all stereotype; two distinct classes […]
Modifying Our View of Histones with Dr. Jerry WorkmanDecember 3, 2013Dr. Jerry Workman discusses the questions surrounding the preservation of histone marks, and the balance between histone turnover and transgenerational inheritance. The Dynamic Histone Code I think one of the most exciting things for me that’s being approached in the field more recently is how are histone marks preserved? We talk about these things carrying […]
The Loose Ends in the Chromatin-Transcription Relationship with Dr. Steven HenikoffDecember 3, 2013Dr. Henikoff discusses some of the gaps in our understanding of transcription and chromatin that still need to be filled in. The Unknowns of RNA Polymerase-Nucleosome Interactions Well, you would think with so much work done on the relationship between transcription and chromatin, the fact that there’s so many meetings on it and all. We […]