Sperm Nucleosome Retention is All Off BaseApril 19, 2011There are lots of ways sperm cells are different from other cell types, but a new PLoS Genetics paper focused on one way in particular, chromatin structure, in order to find out what those differences mean and where they come from.In most cells, DNA is packaged up into nucleosomes, but in sperm, nucleosomes are only […]
DNA Methylation Keeps iPS Cells Living in the PastApril 19, 2011Some people are convinced that they’ve lived a past life, recalling snippets of someone else’s memories from a different time and place. Now, without the benefit of hypnosis, researchers have discovered that induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells also retain transcriptional memories of past lives as somatic cells, which can be at least partially explained by […]
DNA Methylation May be Secret to Dieting SuccessApril 13, 2011The theory behind most diets seems simple enough: Eat less calories; Lose more weight. But we all know that’s way easier said than done, and now there’s some epigenetic reasons why. A new study found that promoter methylation of key obesity linked genes can predict the success of low-calorie diets. Researchers from the University of […]
Embryonic Stem Cells and their 5hmC Highwire Balancing ActApril 5, 2011With new tools and techniques to study the sixth base, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), reports starting to pour in to shed new light on just what the heck it does. Now researchers in the UK have shown that changes in the relative levels of 5mC and 5hmC in embryonic stem (ES) cells could help tip cells toward […]
DNA Methylation qPCR RemixedApril 5, 2011qPCR is used daily to validate array and sequencing results, but qPCR approaches have yet to dominate DNA methylation analysis the same way they have with other applications like gene expression analysis or genotyping. Things are a little bit more complicated when it comes to the epigenetic mods, but that hasn’t stopped hungry researchers from […]
Epigenetics in Evolution with Dr Eva JablonkaMarch 13, 2011Dr. Eva Jablonka discusses the role of epigenetics in evolutionary biology. This short take was shot during a break at Keystone Symposia’s meeting on Environmental Epigenomics and Disease Susceptibility held in March 2011 in Asheville, North Carolina. Epigenetics in Evolution Well, what I’m doing really is theoretical work, and I’m mainly interested in the evolutionary […]
5-Azacytidine: The Charlie Sheen of DNA Methylation Inhibitors?March 13, 2011As we’ve all recently witnessed, some actors have polished public images but are a mess in real life. After reading two recent papers by groups in Los Angeles and Turkey, it sounds like the same could be said of 5-azacytidine (Vidaza®). Mounds of clinical data now show that 5-azacytidine is a good treatment for blood […]
EpiGenie Interview: Dr. Randy Jirtle on Environment EpigenomicsMarch 10, 2011We caught up with Dr. Randy Jirtle to hear more about his transition from nuclear engineer to imprinting guru and chief publicist for Agouti mice. Dr. Jirtle is a co-organizer for the epigenetics star-studded Keystone Environmental Epigenomics and Disease Susceptibility Meeting that kicks off March 27th, 2011 in Asheville, North Carolina. In the interview he […]
Adiós Amnio: Noninvasive Down Syndrome Screening with Fetal DNA MethylationMarch 6, 2011Oscar winner Natalie Portman and other pregnant women may glow with hormones. But to-be-mamas lose some of that radiance at the thought of having a long needle dig into their bellies to check their unborn baby for Down syndrome. Now thanks to some intrepid researchers, pregnant women might be able to ditch the stressful prenatal […]
DNA Methylation Links Low Maternal Folate with Neural Tube DefectsMarch 1, 2011Increasing evidence supports that mom’s parental duties start way before birth. Make sure you do this…don’t do that, but don’t stress over it. It’s great to see researchers starting to get a hold of the “why” behind all the rules. Not getting enough folate from mom puts fetuses at risk for neural tube defects such […]