Webinar: Early Life Determinants of Mental Health – Epigenomic Mechanisms with Dr. Patrick McGowanOctober 3, 2012Dr. Patrick McGowan discusses the impact early-life events can have on our epigenomes in this recorded webinar. This webinar is brought to you with support from Porvair Filtration Group. Check out their line of innovative ChIP kits and reagents at chromatrap.com Abstract Human epidemiological studies and studies of animal models provide many examples by which […]
Webinar: Epigenetics of Autism – The Interface Between Genetic and Environmental Risks with Dr. Janine LaSalleOctober 3, 2012Dr. Janine LaSalle discusses some of the potential epigenetics mechanisms involved in autism spectrum disorders in this recorded webinar. This webinar is brought to you with support from Porvair Filtration Group. Check out their line of innovative ChIP kits and reagents at chromatrap.com Epigenetics of Autism Autism is an increasingly common disorder of complex etiology, […]
The State of Epigenetic EditingSeptember 27, 2012If the field of epigenetics is heading into adolescence (rapid growth, disruptive, with occasional data tantrums), the arena of Epigenetic Editing (gene-specific rewriting of epigenetic marks) is more zygotic than anything, with far more questions than answers. But the concept of systematically manipulating epigenetic marks to modulate gene expression is injecting some air back into […]
Bromodomain Inhibitor is the Male Contraception for the Ladies’ MouseAugust 22, 2012Mice from your backyard to Paris are buzzing with excitement after a team of scientists at Baylor may have paved the way for them to “mingle” with fewer consequences. The research team, led by Martin Matzuk, set out to explore ways to target, BRDT, a testes-specific, and bromo-domain containing protein that plays a key role […]
Non-Coding RNAs and Drug AddictionJuly 31, 2012Although a lot of behavioral studies are out there on drug addiction, no one really knows how addiction develops at the molecular level. A new review by researchers in Miami describes lots of evidence from more than 80 studies suggesting that non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), might have a […]
Pol II Transcription Slows at 5-Formylcytosines (5caC) and 5-Carboxylcytosines (5fC)July 31, 2012It’s summertime—a time when you just want to take things slow. Researchers now report that 5-formylcytosines (5fCs) and 5-carboxylcytosines (5caCs) like to slow things down, no matter what the season. They say that these mods put the brakes on RNA Pol II transcription and make it less specific. Sure, researchers have known about 5fC and […]
DNA Methylation Addiction Keeps Cancer Cells AliveJune 13, 2012Addictions are so strong that some people think they can’t live without them. For cancer cells, that’s actually the case. Cancer cells’ DNA methylation addiction actually keeps them alive, according to a group of California researchers. Altered DNA methylation is just one of many changes that go down when a cell becomes cancerous. The researchers […]
Hi-C Gets the Low Down On Chromatin InteractionsJune 6, 2012The Hi-C you might remember from childhood was a delicious fruit punch drink with a mix of flavors. But as a recent Methods article points out, there’s a new Hi-C method on the scene. It’s not a juice beverage, but it is a tasty combination of techniques to analyze chromatin interactions that epigenetics researchers will […]
Nanofluidic Sorting and Analyzing of Single Methylated DNA Molecules in Real TimeMay 14, 2012Getting kids to line up single-file can be a challenge, but lining up single molecules for analyses can be just as frustrating. Now, researchers at Cornell report that they’ve done just that—they can line up single DNA molecules in a tiny channel in a nanofluidic device, sort them according to methylation state, then recover them […]
oxBS-Seq Breaks Through 5hmC Sequencing BarrierApril 26, 20125-Hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) has always been a bear to sequence, mostly because it’s virtually indistinguishable from its close relative, 5-methylcytosine (5mC) using classic bisulfite sequencing techniques. Now a new sample preparation method has hit the scene that can discriminate between cytosine, 5mC and 5hmC at single base resolution, called oxidative bisulfite sequencing (oxBS-Seq) that essentially smashes […]
