Tracing the Roots of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Yields DNA Methylation InsightsApril 28, 2010Most of us are at least somewhat curious about our lineage: are we descended from a king, an outlaw, or maybe just a particularly snazzy dresser? And do our distant cousins in faraway lands share certain characteristics (such as a penchant for polyester) with us? A group of researchers in Norway asked similar questions about […]
CpG Islands Tackle Chromatin Remodeling ProjectApril 28, 2010Researchers have known about CpG Islands (CGIs) for decades, but there are still more questions than answers when it comes to this heavily studied genomic real-estate. Hypermethylated CGIs seem to get a lot of attention for their apparent involvement in transcriptional silencing, but most CGIs stay unmethylated. So what’s going on in these unmethylated CGIs? […]
ChIP-Sequencing Tips for Small SamplesApril 28, 2010ChIP sequencing (ChIP-Seq) has revolutionized the way researchers can study protein-DNA interactions, enabling genome wide protein binding profiling in one experiment, rather than looking one locus at a time. Not satisfied with pushing just one envelope, today’s researchers are now moving towards samples that are very limited. Fortunately, ChIP methods have aged finer than a […]
RDM1 Corners the RNA Directed DNA Methylation PuzzleApril 28, 2010It’s often easiest to put together a jigsaw puzzle by finding the corner pieces first, then working on the borders before moving on to what’s happening in the center. A similar approach to solving the transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) and RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) mechanisms in Arabidopsis has identified a protein, RDM1, which seems to […]
Hydroxymethylcytosine Shakes Up the Epigenetics CommunityApril 15, 20105-hydroxymethylcytosine’s (5-hmC) discovery last year in mammalian DNA (Kriaucionis & Heintz, Science, 2009. and Tahiliani et al., Science, 2009), left the epigenetics community more shaken than a 007 martini. Although its broader role (if any) in epigenetics remains a mystery today, early evidence suggests a few putative mechanisms that could have big implications: Conversion of […]
Decoding Autism’s Epigenetic RiddleApril 14, 2010Autism is a developmental disorder that’s shrouded in mystery. Its causes are unknown and hotly debated, but some recent detective work hints that through changes in miRNA expression and DNA methylation (DNAm) patterns, there is an epigenetic link. Autism often brings to mind Dustin Hoffman’s character in Rain Man, who was deeply focused on only […]
RNA Binding Proteins Get miRNA Regulation Turned OnApril 14, 2010With all of the big energy conservation campaigns over the years, not many people understand flipping-switches like Southern Californians. You can’t get through a Lakers game without being reminded to turn the lights off, or adjust your thermostat. It appears that some researchers from the Institute of Microbiology in Prague have gotten into the act […]
Self Renewal: Yoga, Meditation and DNA MethyltransferasesApril 8, 2010Despite all the technology “progress” over the years that was supposed to save us heaps of time, we seem to be busier than ever. Real-time internet and PDAs make communication a 24-7 gig, so it’s no wonder that there’s a big movement in self-renewal. We would take some time here to give you small ways […]
Single Tube DNAm Analysis. Better Than Sliced Bread?April 6, 2010Tired of performing DNA extractions, bisulfite conversions, and PCR in three separate reactions? Is the sweet smell of phenol not helping you out with the opposite sex? Then, you’ll love DNA methylation analysis using methylation on beads (MOB)! Although it may sound like the stuff of infomercials, a team at Johns Hopkins University really found […]
Breaking Down miRNA MicroarraysApril 6, 2010As analysis of miRNAs becomes increasingly popular, the resulting flood of microarray products out there for miRNA profiling is enough to make your head spin. So how do you decide which ones to use? If you’ve been stressing over that question, you’ll be happy to know that some good folks at Cambridge Research Institute and […]