miRNAs Get Well Deserved PromotionApril 30, 2009Since we launched EpiGenie, we’ve always considered ourselves big promoters of miRNA. Sure, we cover the big headers in chromatin and DNA methylation too, but it’s hard not to identify with these small, overlooked contributors… (OK enough with our high school sports sob stories). Once again we’ve been humbled by Mother Nature as a novel […]
The Ups and Downs of miR-145 and OCT4 in hESCsApril 30, 2009Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are delicate little creatures. Left to their own devices – especially in culture — they want to differentiate or die. By now you’ve probably heard of the intricate network of factors that allow these cells to retain their stemness – some, like the transcription factors OCT4 and SOX2, prevent differentiation […]
Fine-Tuning mRNA Deliveries with Alternative PolyadenylationApril 28, 2009The US Post Office tried it a few years back when they added those four extra digits onto our zip codes, allowing advertisers to target us with SPAM with utmost precision. At EpiGenie, we too, are always looking for simpler ways to pass along targeted information (RSS feeds, telepathy etc.,) to an ever-increasing population of […]
Polycomb and Trithorax Proteins Dominating the In CrowdApril 23, 2009At EpiGenie, we do our best to keep up with the latest research trends in the epigenetics scene so we couldn’t help but notice that lately, the Polycomb (PcG) and Trithorax (TrxG) proteins are grabbing more headlines than Octa-Mom. Deservingly so, when you consider the critical role these developmental switchboards play in maintaining expression patterns […]
Mining the TranscriptomeApril 17, 2009As the herculean genome sequencing efforts closed in on a draft of the human genome sequence back in 2000, the estimated numbers of “genes” that comprised our genome dropped quicker than the market cap of the biotech heavy Nasdaq after Clinton/Blair announced the sequences of these little gems would reside in the public domain. Shortly […]
Genome Sequence Affects Heterochromatin SpreadingApril 17, 2009The establishment of heterochromatin is an important way for cells to repress transcription. Yet not much is known about the control of heterochromatin spreading into euchromatic domains. Therefore, researchers at Duke University used the Awesome Power of Yeast (Epi)Genetics to study how specific DNA sequences affect heterochromatin spreading. Their results are published in the April […]
Huh? miR-96 Tied to Hearing LossApril 17, 2009Over the years, mothers around the world have routinely warned their children of the imminent hearing loss resulting from too many Iron Maiden concerts, blasting Winger too loud on car stereos, or the permanently attached iPod earbuds that come standard with adolescents nowadays, but now we have scientific data to suggest our mothers and miR-96 […]
miRNA Promoter Elements Driving Cell-Specific ExpressionApril 10, 2009Whether you’re talking about real estate or miRNA expression, the phrase “location, location, location” expresses the undeniable importance of surroundings. Like protein-coding genes, miRNA genes can be turned on or off depending on the cellular context. However, mechanisms responsible for cell-specific miRNA expression are largely unknown because miRNA promoters are not as well characterized as […]
The Search for Histone Classifiers in ESC and NSC ScreeningApril 10, 2009Stem cell researchers have been pretty amped since last month’s presidential decision to bulldoze funding restrictions on human embryonic stem cells. We know the Scripps Institute’s Center for Regenerative Medicine even threw a “Stem Cell Freedom Party” to celebrate. We weren’t able to attend unfortunately, but we’re sure there was some crazy behavior. After all, […]
New Analysis Combos Reveal More Gene Body DNA MethylationApril 10, 2009Hey, sometimes more really is, well, more. Lately in the sequencing arena, we’ve heard a lot about some really slick advances in targeted sample enrichment and other ways to sequence less real estate in exchange for more coverage and better data. Such enrichment methods should be equally useful to epigenetics as they are in current […]