Nickel Exposure Takes Its Toll Via H3K4me3April 11, 2011It’s been known for a while that nickel-based compounds are linked to cancer. In fact, if we had a Nickel for every time we hear about how dangerous nickel exposure is, well, we might be able to buy a cup of coffee (Nickels just aren’t worth what they used to be!). But the point is, […]
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 […]
Chromatin States Get On the MapMarch 30, 2011Deciphering chromatin status across an entire genome must seem like trying to navigate through an Amazon rain forest without a guide. Luckily, new work just published begins the process of creating chromatin state roadmaps to help point epigenetics researchers down the right path. To make that journey a little smoother, a research group from MIT […]
miRNA Mimics Take Imperfect Aim at Gene PromotersMarch 29, 2011Sometimes a perfect match isn’t all it’s cracked up to be – just look at the Hollywood divorce rate. Whether you’re talking relationships or ncRNAs, a few mismatches between partners can still lead to a successful outcome. That seems to be the case for small RNAs that recognize gene promoter regions, as revealed by researchers […]
Making The ChIP Antibody GradesMarch 29, 2011Back in the 2000’s most researchers spent their post-ChIP analysis looking at a gel or a PCR curve. Now, they spend their analysis time combing through hard drives of sequencing data. A lot has changed in the world of location analysis, but the need for good antibodies remains the same; which is probably why we […]
LincRNA HOTTIP Gives Inside Info on Active Chromatin MarketsMarch 24, 2011In unsteady stock markets these days, who couldn’t use a hot tip to rev up their investments? Apparently, some HOXA genes also need a HOTTIP just as much as any Wall St. insider to help jump-start production. A recent Nature paper from talented teams at Stanford University and UCSF reveals that a long intergenic non-coding […]
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 […]
Enoxacin: The Undercover Cancer Fighter Rouses Dormant miRNAsMarch 11, 2011By day, it’s known as a mild-mannered antibiotic. But secretly, enoxacin may also have the power to take down cancer, which had remained hidden until now. A study just published in PNAS found that enoxacin, which is normally used to treat urinary tract infections, also prevents the growth and metastasis of colorectal tumors in mice. […]