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 […]
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 […]
DNA Methylation Can Take You to Higher Ground!January 16, 2021It’s not often that an epigenetics study can elevate you to a higher plane, but uplifting new research into those who live at the top of the world now establishes that DNA methylation profiles can take you higher and higher and support high-altitude living. Researchers led by Ainash Childebayeva (Max Planck Institute for the Study […]
Are My Eggs Getting Old? Single-cell Multiomics Shows that Oocytes Have an Epigenetic TimestampJanuary 13, 2021Unfortunately, real life is not a fairy tale. Unlike Sleeping Beauty, sleeping oocytes are not frozen in time. As oocytes get older, they acquire epigenetic changes that make it harder for them to get on with their baby making business. Important new single-cell multiomics work from Gavin Kelsey’s and Myriam Hemberger’s teams at the Babraham Institute shows […]
The Epigenetic Clock – From Deep Space to Deep LearningDecember 30, 2020As the year comes to its end, our epigenetic clocks keep on ticking, and hot new DNA methylation-based studies keep rolling in. Here, we gaze into two deeply interesting studies that take us on an epigenetic journey from deep space to deep learning by reporting how space travel can influence epigenetic aging and how neural […]
DNA Methylation Contributes to the Chaos and Complications of COVID-19December 14, 2020While the cough was the cardinal consideration, COVID-19 has been causing chaos in every organ system, including lungs, heart, brain, blood, liver, and skin. In fact, the involvement of these non-lung systems predicts increased mortality and new research now shows that DNA methylation is a contributor to COVID-19. Researchers from the laboratory of Arjun Deb […]
Reprogramming Helps to “Turn Back Time” on the Epigenetic Clock and Restore Lost VisionDecember 14, 2020Back in the days of big hair and masses of leather, Cher wanted to “turn back time” if she could find a way! Well, get your stockings and suspenders ready and head for the docks, as her eighties “vision” may be on the cusp of coming true with the help of epigenetic reprogramming! Specifically, resear-Cher-s […]
Blame the Brain on Cocaine: DNA Methylation Alters 3D Chromatin TerrainDecember 8, 2020Although studies of DNA methylation and its impact on chromatin architecture leave us with quite the buzz, this latest one adds a bit of cocaine to the mix to give it an extra kick. This stimulating study found cocaine use reduced DNA methylation at a key gene to change CTCF binding and alter 3D chromatin […]
