Decoding the Epigenetic Role of Non-coding RNAsMay 18, 2011About 90% of our genome is transcribed, but only 1-2% of the transcripts encode proteins. So what are all of those non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) doing? A better question might be: what aren’t they doing? In addition to regulating gene expression at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, ncRNAs play a big part in the control of […]
5hmC Analysis TwoferMay 13, 2011Everybody loves a twofer, and now for the amount of time spent reading a single Nature paper ( or at least this EpiGenie summary), you can learn about two new methods for 5hmC analysis. A clever team of researchers has developed two independent approaches for the genome-wide mapping of 5hmC, neither of which relies on […]
Probing Placental EpigeneticsMay 3, 2011Ever since Tom Cruise publicly vowed to eat his newborn’s placenta a few years back, the “afterbirth” organ has gotten a bum rap. But recent evidence suggests that in addition to its long-recognized role in supplying oxygen and nutrients to the growing fetus, the placenta also influences fetal development through epigenetic mechanisms. Now a trio […]
Histone Mods? There’s an App for ThatApril 29, 2011Although they’re better known for robust histone “abs”, the folks up at Millipore have now demonstrated that they’re not too shabby at cranking out solid histone “apps” as well. The team just released an iPad® app that’s a really slick, interactive resource for histone modifications available, absolutely free in iTunes. Why waste time on Angry […]
Sperm Nucleosome Retention is All Off BaseApril 19, 2011There are lots of ways sperm cells are different from other cell types, but a new PLoS Genetics paper focused on one way in particular, chromatin structure, in order to find out what those differences mean and where they come from.In most cells, DNA is packaged up into nucleosomes, but in sperm, nucleosomes are only […]
DNA Methylation Keeps iPS Cells Living in the PastApril 19, 2011Some people are convinced that they’ve lived a past life, recalling snippets of someone else’s memories from a different time and place. Now, without the benefit of hypnosis, researchers have discovered that induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells also retain transcriptional memories of past lives as somatic cells, which can be at least partially explained by […]
Nickel Exposure Takes Its Toll Via H3K4me3April 11, 2011It’s been known for a while that nickel-based compounds are linked to cancer. In fact, if we had a Nickel for every time we hear about how dangerous nickel exposure is, well, we might be able to buy a cup of coffee (Nickels just aren’t worth what they used to be!). But the point is, […]
Chromatin States Get On the MapMarch 30, 2011Deciphering chromatin status across an entire genome must seem like trying to navigate through an Amazon rain forest without a guide. Luckily, new work just published begins the process of creating chromatin state roadmaps to help point epigenetics researchers down the right path. To make that journey a little smoother, a research group from MIT […]
miRNA Mimics Take Imperfect Aim at Gene PromotersMarch 29, 2011Sometimes a perfect match isn’t all it’s cracked up to be – just look at the Hollywood divorce rate. Whether you’re talking relationships or ncRNAs, a few mismatches between partners can still lead to a successful outcome. That seems to be the case for small RNAs that recognize gene promoter regions, as revealed by researchers […]
Making The ChIP Antibody GradesMarch 29, 2011Back in the 2000’s most researchers spent their post-ChIP analysis looking at a gel or a PCR curve. Now, they spend their analysis time combing through hard drives of sequencing data. A lot has changed in the world of location analysis, but the need for good antibodies remains the same; which is probably why we […]
