Pregnancy Epigenetically Ages Mothers – But Breastfeeding May Reverse ItApril 22, 2024Our mothers might be onto something when they jokingly blame us for their gray hair and wrinkles. In two recent studies, DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks show that pregnancy, with its far-ranging emotional and physical changes, increases the biological ages of mothers. On the bright side, the effects were reversible in those who breastfed, according to […]
A Selfish, Poisonous Element Could Set the Evolutionary Stage for Genomic ImprintingApril 15, 2024A selfish toddler might throw a tantrum to get their way, but in worms, a “selfish” piece of DNA known as a toxin-antidote (TA) element uses something more sinister—poison. Researchers have just discovered a parent-of-origin effect with this nematode element that could be an evolutionary precursor of genomic imprinting. Led by Alejandro Burga (Institute of Molecular […]
EvoETR Epigenome Editor Helps Maintain Cholesterol Levels by Silencing Pcsk9March 25, 2024Ever wanted to cut a bad thing out of your life? Well, perhaps the secret to success doesn’t involve any cutting (of your DNA). In some people, a mutant PCSK9 gene interferes with the liver’s job to get rid of LDL, aka “bad” cholesterol. Now, researchers have developed an all-in-one “evolved engineered transcriptional repressor” (EvoETR) […]
No Epigenetic Modification is an Island: How Reader Proteins Functionally Interpret Complex Chromatin StatesMarch 25, 2024Like no man is an island and instead relies on those surrounding them, single epigenetic modifications generally do not function in solitary. Now, an absorbing new study from a synergistic epigenomics squad reports how epigenetic reader proteins functionally interpret chromatin states made up of complex combinations of disparate epigenetic modifications. A highly collaborative team guided […]
SIMPLE-seq Collaborates Chemistries to Report Single-Cell 5mC and 5hmCFebruary 20, 2024Collaborations work best when team members’ abilities complement each other. That’s what makes SIMPLE-seq work so well—it’s a simple, easy combination of two methods that complement each other to provide both 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) datasets in one experiment in single cells and molecules. Continuing on the recent theme of methods that report both 5mC […]
Relax and Let NanoSPA Analyze m6A and Ψ RNA Mods for YouFebruary 20, 2024We could all use a spa day once in a while, so light some lavender-scented candles, take a deep breath, and let NanoSPA analyze the RNA modifications in your samples. This new nanopore sequencing analysis pipeline provides data on both N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and pseudouridine (Ψ) modifications at the same time, reducing stress and saving time. Instead […]
TIME-Seq Flies When Constructing Cost-Effective Epigenetic ClocksFebruary 19, 2024If time drags and money disappears when looking at DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks, you are “in time” to hear of a newly described efficient and cost-effective bisulfite sequencing approach! Time flies – but money does not – with “tagmentation-based indexing for methylation sequencing” or TIME-seq! An on-time team led by David A. Sinclair (Harvard Medical […]
GEMS Makes the m6A RNA Modification Shine in Living CellsFebruary 5, 2024Unlike DNA or histone methylation, knowledge about N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of RNA is a little cloudy. It’s involved in some cancers and other diseases, but we don’t know as much about its expression in living cells. Now, a new method called GEMS makes m6A shine bright like a diamond for drug discovery and delivery of […]
SSSavi: Savvy Epigenome Editing with Diverse, Orderly TeamsDecember 12, 2023Bringing in the right combination of people with different perspectives and abilities can take a team to new heights. And just like that savvy diverse team, a new epigenome editing tool called the Spy-Snoop-Sun-Avi (SSSavi) system recruits diverse effector molecules in an interchangeable and orderly way to understand how combinations of DNA and histone modifications […]
DNA Methylation Analysis Shows How Cannabis Exposure Increases the Risk of Adverse Health OutcomesDecember 11, 2023Do not risk missing a new paper describing a recent trans-ancestry epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) highlighting the significant health risks of recreational cannabis! In a fascinating new study, researchers now reveal that cannabis exposure can impact DNA methylation levels at specific regions independent of cigarette smoking to increase the risk of adverse health outcomes. Risk-averse […]