This Is the Methylome that Alzheimer’s BuiltSeptember 9, 2019“This is the House that Jack Built” is a popular and beloved children’s rhyme. But if children’s rhymes were written by scientists instead, it might look something like this: There’s an oxidation reaction on a methyl group, on a carbon in a cytosine, in a region of a gene, in the genome of a neuron, […]
Methylation Prevents Young Transposable Elements From LINE-1 Dancing Through the Neural GenomeAugust 13, 2019Whether you’re a fan of nightclubs, speakeasys, or honkey-tonks, you may have noticed that the population on the dance floor seems to get younger every year. Maybe you’re just getting older, or maybe today’s youth are getting better at getting around the rules. Like bouncers at a bar, developing cells have DNA methylation to keep […]
“CoRSIV” Writing: Jotting Down Interindividual Variation in DNA MethylationAugust 6, 2019From playwrights to poets, many writers take advantage of word processing software to keep their writing under control. However, variety is the spice to life, and others swear that putting quill to parchment and writing out their epic tales in good old flowing cursive helps to get the creative juices flowing. As a testament to […]
SMARCA2 Variants Leave a Domain-Specific DNA Methylation Signature in Neurodevelopmental DisordersJuly 16, 2019Our signatures are unique marks that let people know where we’ve been. It turns out that epigenetic modifiers leave their own signatures on the genome. There are between 300-400 proteins that regulate the epigenome, including readers, writers, & erasers of histone marks as well as chromatin remodelers. Genetic variants in the epigenes that encode these […]
Evasive Maneuvers! LINE-1 at the Helm Outwits Epigenetic RepressionJuly 16, 2019While the above title may conjure up images of Star Wars-esque galactic battles, the epic clash between the LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposon and repressive forces takes place on the scale of microns instead. This war has been waging in the human genome for thousands of years: L1 attempts to replicate and integrate into the genome, while […]
Shifting Sex: Social Stress Throws Epigenetics in Reverse for Female Bluehead WrassesJuly 15, 2019Have you ever run into an unexpected detour on your commute? Whether it be an ice patch, flood, or even a mudslide, mother nature can reroute even the best laid plans, but for some species, changes in the environment have much higher stakes than being late for work or that much needed vacation. In fact, […]
eBook: NeuroepigeneticsJuly 4, 2019It’s become increasing clear that epigenetic mechanisms have a unique role to play in the brain. From neurodevelopment, to memory, to brain function epigenetic mechanisms seem to be very important. These mechanisms are also frequently perturbed in neurological disorders. In this ebook, we’ve assembled summaries of research related to uncovering the many roles of epigenetics […]
Mutant DNMT3A Underperforms in Overgrowth SyndromeJune 25, 2019If you’re underperforming at work, you might end up with a rejected paper, failed experiments, or an angry boss. However, this isn’t so bad when compared to how mutated DNMT3A underperforms in its role as a DNA methyltransferase, since that can result in a pathogenic overgrowth known as Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome (TBRS). Despite DNMT3A’s known role […]
Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing of Down Syndrome Brain Captures the Big PictureJune 18, 2019Sometimes in life, we get so focused on the details that we can miss the big picture. One of the best examples of this periscope perspective is the case of Down syndrome. Although it is caused by trisomy of chromosome 21, Down syndrome patients display genome-wide alterations to their transcriptomic and epigenomic profiles; however, the […]
Enhancer Hypomethylation in Alzheimer’s Disease Brain Paves the Way for Cell DeathJune 15, 2019When it comes to understanding the epigenetics of aging, Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) has enhanced our knowledge in countless ways. This neurodegenerative disease has taught us to embrace healthy aging, and some surprising players have emerged from the examination of DNA methylation. Studies have uncovered a role for enhancers in AD; however, investigations into the consequences of DNA methylation at these […]