Multiplexed Epigenome Editing Rouses a “Sleeping Dog” to Treat a Neurodevelopmental DisorderFebruary 20, 2023“Let sleeping dogs lie” is sound advice for those who want to stay out of trouble! However, an eye-opening epigenome editing study now suggests that rousing the “sleeping” methyl CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2) gene from the inactive X chromosome may represent a therapeutic opportunity for girls with Rett Syndrome – an X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder that […]
mRNA Shows Its Age and Quiets Down the Immune System with Cap2 MethylationFebruary 14, 2023Wrinkles, gray hair, … Cap2 methylation on mRNA? It turns out that these are all signs of aging. Two elegant new methods to show that Cap1 gets slowly modified to Cap2 as mRNAs age. And just like boomers, they want to live the quiet life, calming down the innate immune system to prevent autoimmunity. Although […]
You Aren’t Going Crazy – Losing It at the Epigenetic Level Really Drives Aging!February 6, 2023Information loss can drive us crazy – from ruining a potential culinary masterpiece to turning a Lego-building afternoon into a nightmare, but can “losing it” at the epigenetic level drive aging and turn a young whippersnapper into an old fogey? We know all too well about age-related epigenetic changes, and now a team led by […]
Taking “CoRSIV” Writing from Short Notes to “Novel” Epigenetic Findings in Disease RiskJanuary 30, 2023Previously, a perfectly-penned study uncovered a type of DNA methylation variation “written” in the genome, which varies from person to person but remains consistent across tissues. Deciphering these “CoRSIV” (correlated regions of systemic interindividual variation) notes supported a deeper understanding of epigenetic variance and the impact on disease, with blood DNA methylation profiles from these […]
Active DNA Demethylation as a Source of DNA Damage at EnhancersJanuary 3, 2023Paint a self-portrait, build a house? If, instead, your more achievable New Year’s resolution was to be more active, new and exciting findings on how the abundance of single-strand DNA breaks (SSBs) at neuronal enhancers represents an intermediate of active DNA demethylation will be right down your alley! Researchers led by Wei Wu and André […]
eBook: Epigenetics & DNA MethylationNovember 21, 2022One of the longest-known and most studied epigenetic markers is DNA methylation, which can regulate gene expression and genomic organization in nearly all organisms. In eukaryotes, the primary modification of DNA is found in cytosines (C), where DNA Methyltransferases mediate the transfer of a methyl group to cytosines, converting them to 5-methylcytosine (5-mC), minor modifications […]
Placental Proxies: A Shared DNA Methylation Profile Between cffDNA and BrainSeptember 27, 2022When you’re looking to access the latest and greatest publications, your VPN is the proxy you need. But now, there’s a new proxy in town to help with your quest for neurodevelopmental epigenetic information: Placenta and the cell free fetal DNA (cffDNA) that originates from it. A dynamic duo of papers from the lab of Janine LaSalle (UC Davis […]
RNA Methylation and DNA Demethylation Teamwork Make the Transcriptional Dream WorkSeptember 25, 2022Dream teams come in all shapes and sizes, from the 1970 Brazil football team to the Mercedes F1 team of the 2010s. A new epigenetic alliance formed between RNA methylation and DNA demethylation recently made its competitive debut and now shows how teamwork makes the dream work! A synergistic team led by Dongxin Lin, Jian […]
eBook: Epigenetics of COVID-19September 22, 2022COVID-19 has been one of the biggest public health issues in recent history and has changed the daily lives of almost everyone on the planet. Many researchers, biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies have been working around the clock since the novel coronavirus outbreak started to try to develop new tools to test for and treat the […]
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! […]