An Oliver’s Twist on an Old Tale: Orphan CpGs Will Have You Asking for MoreJuly 17, 2021Move over Oliver Twist, there’s a new orphan in town to satisfy our hunger for stories of DNA methylation. Two new tales of orphan CpGs help them find a home in our hearts and epigenomes through the application of cutting-edge epigenomics techniques and genetic engineering to embryonic stem cells and neuronal cells. Making the Right Connections: […]
It’s Nature versus Nurture in an Epigenetic Rejuvenation Face-off!July 15, 2021The age-old battle of nature versus nurture has entered new frontiers with two exciting studies exploring different mechanisms that drive “epigenetic rejuvenation” – also known as the science of how our old and creaky DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks can be wound back into a frolicking and fancy-free state. Together, these studies demonstrate the two faces […]
Environmental Fountain of Youth: Enrichment Prevents Aging-Induced DNA Methylation ChangesJuly 15, 2021A restricted diet, regular exercise at the gym, not drinking too much… Acts of deprivation and suffering are supposed to guide us on our quest to the foundation of youth. Thankfully, exciting new epigenetic findings show us that it’s time to learn a lesson from the hedonists by demonstrating how environmental enrichment protects us from […]
A Fishy Tale of Intergenerational Epigenetic Inheritance of DNA Methylation in a Foul EnvironmentJuly 5, 2021Although the impact of toxic exposure on our epigenome can leave a bad taste, a recent study into hydrogen sulfide transcends the senses by hitting the smell category too. Building on their previous fishy tale of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, the lab of Michael K. Skinner (Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA) recently explored a new species […]
How to Change Your (Mini) Mind: 5hmC’s Role in Neurodevelopment and Alzheimer’s DiseaseJune 13, 2021Although it may seem like neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration don’t have much in common, exciting new results on the dynamics of 5hmC in forebrain organoids may just change your mind. 5hmC is enriched in the brain, important in neurodevelopment, and suspected to be relevant to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) progression. However, due to a lack of human samples and appropriate disease models it has been difficult to study how 5hmC distribution changes during early brain development and AD. In […]
An Inclusive EWAS Filters Through the Trans-ethnic and Ethnic-specific DNA Methylation Profiles of Kidney FunctionJune 11, 2021Diversity and inclusion are important components of our modern society, and epigenomics is no exception. To build on our knowledge of ethnic differences and similarities, an inclusive epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) of kidney function has come forth to filter the hits. A group led by Charles Breeze (National Cancer Institute) and Nora Franceschini (University of North Carolina) conducted […]
Caffeine Fix Showdown: The Impact of Coffee and Tea on DNA Methylation and Disease RiskMay 27, 2021While a mug of dark roasted coffee can jump-start your day and a cup of fragrant tea may soothe frayed nerves after a grueling session in the lab, a highly-caffeinated new study now shows that these hot beverages also impact human health by influencing DNA methylation. Previous caffeine-fueled studies have provided contrasting views on how […]
Where’s the Cancer Driver? MethSig Cuts Through the Background Noise to Identify Oncogenic Promoter HypermethylationMay 26, 2021As any TikTokker, Zoom presenter, or amateur photographer worth their salt can tell you, sometimes a good background is all you need to make your content really pop. It turns out that the same principle applies when trying to figure out which promoter DNA hypermethylation events drive tumor growth. MethSig, a new algorithm developed by Heng Pan in Dan Landau’s group at Weill Cornell Medicine, improves […]
CRISPRon, CRISPRoff… Two New Tools to Earn You the Black Belt in Hit-and-Run Epigenetic EditingMay 17, 2021Power, accuracy, and stability are the three tenets of hit-and-run epigenetic editing that every aspiring black belt must learn to master. To aid our quest, masters from the dojos of Luke Gilbert (University of California, San Francisco) and Jonathan Weissman (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) have come forth with not only new mantra but also a new set […]
Fortune Telling with EPICOVID – A Novel DNA Methylation Signature that Predicts COVID-19 SeverityMay 9, 2021DNA methylation signatures can function somewhat like a fortune teller’s crystal ball – foretelling those patients with poor prognosis and helping to choose the optimal treatment strategy. By gazing into the crystal ball of the COVID-19 methylome, a fortune-telling team led by Manel Esteller (Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain) and Aurora Pujol (Bellvitge […]