Emerging Details On Monoallelic Silencing in TumorsFebruary 19, 2012It’s funny how research can pay off in surprising ways. In this case, University of Wisconsin scientists were studying the tumor suppressor gene APC when they realized there was an unusual brand of monoallelic silencing going on. Earlier studies have found that many early adenomas begin with the loss of function of the Adenomatous polyposis […]
Epigenetics and TwinsFebruary 8, 2012Every summer outside Cleveland, Ohio identical twins congregate at the Twins Days Festival. Twins from all over join in on an assortment of activities over three days that resembles a massive Doublemint® gum commercial. It’s not just the twins that get stoked for the festival though. As was highlighted in a nice article in National […]
Big DNA Methylation Changes in Little TikesFebruary 7, 2012Kids grow and change so fast. One day, they’re learning to walk. The next day, they’re Twittering and texting while driving your car. In the first study to analyze age-related DNA methylation (DNAm) changes in pediatric blood samples, an all-star cast of researchers out of Emory University now report that DNAm changes more rapidly during […]
Assisted Reproduction Treatments May Cause Imprinting ProblemsJanuary 26, 2012These days, there is more than one way to make a baby. Unfortunately though, the newer ways still don’t have things down to a science yet. Assisted reproduction treatments (or technology, known as ART) are clinical procedures designed to help patients with fertility issues get pregnant. But reports have documented a rise in cases of […]
5-hmC Stability a Mixed Bag in Neural Development and AgingJanuary 25, 2012Just like tweets about the U.S. Presidential race, updates on the function of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) keep pouring in. For a while, no one really knew what the mod did, but new reports find that while some 5-hmC marks are stable, and others are dynamic, both may be critical for neural development right after birth and […]
DNA Methylation: 2011 Editor’s FavoritesJanuary 11, 2012DNA methylation research had a little something for everyone in 2011. Not only was it linked to cancer, diet, post-traumatic stress, socio-economic status and heritability; but more was learned about 5-hydroxymethylcytosine as well. As if that wasn’t enough, two new cytosine variants, 5-formylcytosine and 5-carboxylcytsosine, joined the party this year too. We can’t wait to […]
Technology & Methods: 2011 Editor’s FavoritesJanuary 11, 2012Without advanced technology, epigenetic research would flounder. (You’d also probably be reading this on a stone tablet, which are really tricky to post on the web.) Check out our favorite improvements in technologies and methods from 2011 that are making sure epigenetic research is staying on the cutting edge. Single Cell Methylation Profiling The Restriction […]
5fC & 5caC Follow Up Strong in 5hmC SequelDecember 14, 2011Life was simpler back when there were only four bases. Nowadays researchers studying DNA methylation have to keep track of four methylCytosine derivatives alone, and the research is just starting to heat up. The last couple of years the TET family of proteins has proven effective at catalyzing 5-methylcytosine (5mC) into 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), apparently as […]
Databases for EpigeneticistsDecember 13, 2011The holidays have come a little early for epigeneticists! Nucleic Acids Research just published papers on several databases that put a wealth of information on various epi-phenomena right at your fingertips. Chances are, at least one of these has info that will make your research life a whole lot easier. HIstome The Histone Infobase (HIstome), […]
Profiling Exon Methylation with Liquid Hybridization Capture-Based Bisulfite SequencingDecember 12, 2011Sometimes, you just want to get to the good stuff right away. Now, researchers in China report that they’ve developed a way to target their sequencing when analyzing methylomes rather juggling 6 hard drives. With their new liquid hybridization capture-based bisulfite sequencing (LHC-BS) method, they just grab exons and analyze them for methylation. The method […]
