Epigenetics 101: You Can’t Always Blame Your Parents with Alberto PerezDecember 17, 2013EpiGenie reader Dr. Albert Perez lays out some of the basic concepts behind epigenetics, and explains how being a red-head in Spain started him on a path to explore DNA and the epigenome.
DNA Methylation and Diet: You Are Also What Your Father AteDecember 17, 2013Freud famously blamed mothers for nearly everything, and when early epigenetic studies indicated that you are what your mom (and grandma and great-grandma) ate, it seemed to back him up. But when it comes to complex traits and environment, a new report from scientists at McGill University (Montreal) found that a father’s diet shapes a child too. […]
Long Intergenic Non-Coding RNAs, One of Life’s Bare EssentialsDecember 4, 2013If you were forced to choose a few bare essentials for a lengthy stay on a deserted island, most of us would choose items like some great tunes, a favorite book, or a loved one, but some new research points out that lincRNAs ought to be considered too, since a clever crew at Harvard has recently […]
The Loose Ends in the Chromatin-Transcription Relationship with Dr. Steven HenikoffDecember 3, 2013Dr. Henikoff discusses some of the gaps in our understanding of transcription and chromatin that still need to be filled in. The Unknowns of RNA Polymerase-Nucleosome Interactions Well, you would think with so much work done on the relationship between transcription and chromatin, the fact that there’s so many meetings on it and all. We […]
Chemical Creation of Epigenetic Marks: One Step Closer to Synthetic LifeDecember 2, 2013What if Craig Ventor got a hold of the epigenome during his quest to create synthetic life? Is humanity be ready for an artificial life-form potentially as complex as its creators? Will Duck Dynasty and Honey Boo Boo be picked up for another season? These are all very important questions. And a few of our […]
Transgenerational Epigenetics is Bringing Sexy BackNovember 26, 2013For mice, domestication is a ten generation process, and while we’re left wondering at what stage Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is caught up in, we’ll try to steer clear of any low brow jokes. During the process of domestication many adaptations occur, but not all are beneficial. In fact, as a thought provoking group from […]
Is DNA Methylation Key to Antipsychotic Treatments?November 18, 2013Evidence continues to stack up about the environmentally responsive ways of our epigenome, but most of the time when we hear about it, it’s usually about some bad news. However, Dr. Shiva Singh and his colleagues at Western University (Canada) have come across an interesting case where epigenetics mechanisms appear to cause the therapeutic effects of […]
DNA Methylation Age Prediction Confirms that EpiGenie Staff are Past their PrimeNovember 5, 2013Getting old stinks; literally actually, at least in the EpiGenie office, where the pungent aroma of sports creme lingers the day after softball night. Dr. Steve Horvath (UCLA) published a doozy of a paper, DNA methylation age of human tissues and cell types, in Genome Biology recently that caught mainstream media attention from hacks like us to […]
DNA Methylation in Gene Activation with Dr. Robert WaterlandNovember 5, 2013Dr. Robert Waterland discusses how 3′ CpG island methylation may function as a key developmental activator of gene expression. This interview was shot at the Keystone Symposia’s meeting on Nutrition, Epigenetics and Human Disease, 2013 held in Santa Fe, New Mexico 3′ CpG Island Methylation in Gene Activation Another really interesting project thatI’ve been involved with […]
Enhancer Transcribed RNAs No Longer Just Second Banana to PromotersOctober 24, 2013Enhancer regions are starting to come into their own as important members of the epigenome – way more than just add-ons that increase promoter transcription. A new study shows us that the RNA world just won’t stop expanding. Drs. Rao and Yuan from the Blood Center of Wisconsin and Harvard, along with a talented team […]