Multiomic Face-off Finds the Factors that Lead to Look-alikes!September 6, 2022Have you ever heard of someone bumping into their doppelgänger and wondered how the forces of biology conspired to make two unrelated people look alike? In a recent study, a few familiar faces took advantage of a photographer’s keen eye and a multiomic “face-off” to find those factors that lead two strangers to look alike! […]
The Human Imprintome Maps out the Epigenetic Roots of DiseaseAugust 20, 2022A well-illustrated map may have helped the Spanish easily locate El Dorado or David Livingstone pinpoint the source of the Nile; now, rugged researchers have delicately “sliced” through the jungle of the human genome to create a map of imprint control regions (ICRs) – creating the “imprintome” – to hasten our exploration of the epigenetic […]
Now In Print! – New Technologies Leave their Mark on Imprinting Control RegionsJune 19, 2022Genomic imprinting typically lets our parents leave their mark on our genomes; however, new technological advances are now allowing us to leave our mark on imprinting! The first of our epigenetic exposés that went into print reports on how multiple modalities uncovered complex epigenetic crosstalk that regulates allele-specific gene expression at potential imprinting control regions […]
eBook: Epigenomics of SpermJune 9, 2022Some of the most interesting and important epigenetic phenomena occur in sperm. In addition to passing genetic paternal information, experiences and exposures can be encoded in the epigenome and inherited as well. In this EpiGenie ebook, we present summaries of several studies on exploring the role of epigenetic processes in sperm biology. They are divided […]
The Long and the Short of It – Long DNMT3A1 Isoform Binds Bivalent Neurodevelopmental ChromatinMay 23, 2022Sometimes it’s best to get straight to the point, so let’s dive into this study of DNA methyltransferase 3a (DNMT3A) isoforms with variable lengths, which reveals a chromatin interaction domain that regulates bivalent gene expression and supports early postnatal survival in mice! Previous studies that didn’t beat around the bush described how postnatal development requires […]
Epigenetic Editing Approach Causally Connects Adolescent Alcohol Exposure to Psychiatric Disorder RiskMay 23, 2022The modularity of current epigenetic editing technology allows us to evaluate the causality of connections from multiple angles. Now, epigenetic editing in rats using dCas9 activators and repressors has provided a welcome new perspective on how adolescent drinking can induce the onset of psychiatric conditions in adults. Binge drinking during adolescence (a critical period for […]
An Oliver’s Twist on an Old Tale: Orphan CpGs Will Have You Asking for MoreJuly 17, 2021Move over Oliver Twist, there’s a new orphan in town to satisfy our hunger for stories of DNA methylation. Two new tales of orphan CpGs help them find a home in our hearts and epigenomes through the application of cutting-edge epigenomics techniques and genetic engineering to embryonic stem cells and neuronal cells. Making the Right Connections: […]
It’s Nature versus Nurture in an Epigenetic Rejuvenation Face-off!July 15, 2021The age-old battle of nature versus nurture has entered new frontiers with two exciting studies exploring different mechanisms that drive “epigenetic rejuvenation” – also known as the science of how our old and creaky DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks can be wound back into a frolicking and fancy-free state. Together, these studies demonstrate the two faces […]
Diet Adds a Tasty New Plot Twist in The Tale of Paternal H3K4me3 TransmissionMarch 2, 2021The genetic tale of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance has just received a tasty twist in its latest installment focused on intergenerational effects. The latest story of this cereal … serial reveals how folate deficiency in the paternal diet influences embryonic development through H3K4me3 transmission. In a previous study, the lab of Sarah Kimmins (McGill University, Montreal, Canada) examined a mouse […]