MeCP2 on the Brain: Repressing Transcription of Long Highly Methylated GenesDecember 17, 2019It seems that everyone has MeCP2 on the brain – as evidenced by its starring role in two new Molecular Cell papers – but it’s in your brain too! The MeCP2 protein is essential for neuronal function and consistent with this, loss-of-function mutations in MeCP2 cause the neurodevelopmental disorder Rett syndrome. Unfortunately, because MeCP2 acts […]
Stressed Out Histone Modifications Mediate Lifespan ExtensionDecember 14, 2019While we have always thought of stress as something that will send us an early grave, fascinating new findings now suggest that early life stress may actually prevent such a dreaded fate. New research from the stress-resilient team in the lab Ursula Jakob (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA) has now linked increased levels […]
Epigenetic Couch Potatoes: Running isn’t on the Resolution Radar of Rodents This Year Thanks to DNA MethylationDecember 11, 2019The year is coming to an end and you know what that means — it’s time to promise yourself that next year is your year to get fit. But if you’re one of the many who never quite live up to their lofty activity goals, don’t be too hard on yourself; your epigenetics may be […]
Cancer Cells Get in Shape Using Circular Extrachromosomal DNA with Highly Accessible ChromatinDecember 3, 2019Cancer cells run rings around their normal counterparts in terms of proliferation, survival, migration, and aggressivity to devastating effect, but how do cancer cells get themselves “in shape” to allow for these strenuous activities? Previously, researchers led by Howard Y. Chang (Stanford University), Bing Ren, Vineet Bafna, and Paul S. Mischel (University of California at […]
There’s CoREST for the Wicked: An Epigenetic Switch for Social Behavior in Worker AntsNovember 23, 2019“All work and no play” is the norm for carpenter ants, where epigenetically distinct workers spend their days toiling away for their genetically identical colony-mates. The two classes of worker ants, minor workers who forage for food and major workers who protect the colony, differ in their size and appearance, but new research suggests that […]
Inside Job: dCas9 Hijacks Endogenous Chromatin Machinery to Modulate Gene ExpressionNovember 22, 2019In the newest spy movie hitting theaters this month, undercover agents sneak inside the innermost sanctum of fortress walls to hijack nuclear weapons…err nuclear machinery to upregulate gene expression. Spoiler alert, we’ll even reveal the agents’ identities: it’s catalytically dead Cas9 (dCas9) with a small molecule associate, teaming up to complete the mission. While other […]
Deciphering the Warburg Effect: The Metabolic By-product Lactate Modifies HistonesNovember 14, 2019Like the energy drink cans and protein bar wrappers that litter the table after an epic writing session, by-products generally represent undesirable items created during the generation of a more desirable object. Recycling can put some writing by-products to further use, and studies have now highlighted that biological by-products derived from cellular metabolism can also […]
Histone Hangover: Alcohol Metabolism Actively Alters Acetylation in the BrainNovember 4, 2019We’ve all been warned — from our teachers, our parents, or from outrageous college movies — if you overindulge with booze you may not remember much the next morning. Now, exciting new research shows that an alcohol metabolite can alter our brain’s histone acetylation and can mix up memories at the molecular level. Neurons make […]
Studying TAD Boundary Issues Through Epigenome Editing of CTCF MotifsOctober 19, 2019So, your therapist says you have boundary issues? Well you’re not alone; CTCF is known to play a critical role in setting the boundaries of topologically associating domains (TADs), but there’s been no therapist to uncover their definitive impact. Thankfully, new research from the lab of Bradley Bernstein at the Harvard Medical School (Boston, USA) […]
It’s a Bear, It’s a Pig, it’s a Tardigrade! Superhero Dsup Protein Protects Chromatin from HarmOctober 19, 2019Some superheroes wear flashy costumes and capes that you can’t help but notice, but then there’s the unassuming tardigrade; the microscopic wonder beast with the astounding ability to survive extreme temperatures, radiation, and the vacuum of space! With multiple secret identities, including “water bear” and “moss piglet”, the discrete invertebrate has kept the key to […]