epigenetics

Epigenetics and ncRNA Headlines

Get all the latest highlights from the literature and special features covering trending epigenetics, ncRNA, and gene regulation research.

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New Sequencing Technique TAPS into Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Profiles Without the BS

March 12, 2019

While trying to uncover the mysteries of the DNA methylation, a lot of BS is often required. And no, we’re not talking about workplace politics but rather sodium bisulfite (BS) conversion. Thankfully, the labs of Chun-Xiao Song and Benjamin Schuster-Böckler at Oxford University (UK) have developed a new “BS-free” approach to uncover the secrets of the […]

Don’t Turn the Other Cheek on Heterogeneity in Buccal Cell Samples

March 12, 2019

When it comes to brushing, whether it’s your teeth or a cheek swab sample, proper technique is important. Your dentist may have already told you not to brush you teeth too hard, but it turns out how you collect a cheek swab is also important. Buccal epithelial cells are perhaps the most clinically accessible tissue […]

EZH2 Gets a TAD Involved in Cancer

February 26, 2019

In the Venn diagram of epigenetics and cancer biology, EZH2 sits perfectly in the overlap. This methyltransferase is responsible for tri-methylation of lysine 27 on histone 3 (H3K27me3) but is also an oncogene, mutated in a variety ofhumancancers. H3K27me3 is a marker of inactive chromatin domains, specifically topologically associating domains (TADs), and has been linked to […]

Epigenetic Editing with CRISPR Keeps Crops Crisp in Today’s Climate

February 25, 2019

While the crisper drawer of our fridge is the best way to keep our produce fresh, epigenetic editing research now brings forth CRISPR-based manipulation of DNA methylation to keep our crops crisp. This tasty treat comes at you in the form of two new publications from the lab of Steven Jacobsen (UCLA), where the talented team expand […]

When Two Is Not Better Than One: Duplicitous Dipeptides Disrupt Heterochromatin to Promote Neurodegeneration

February 25, 2019

While some protein aficionados may believe that the only thing better than one peptide is a dipeptide, a study from the lab of Leonard Petrucelli (Mayo Clinic, USA) recently established that the expansion of double-dealing dipeptide repeats promotes the development of neurodegenerative disease via the disruption of heterochromatin structure and function. The diseases in question, […]

Orange You Glad for Methylation’s Role in Fruit Ripening?

February 12, 2019

If you like to start your day with a glass of orange juice, you can thank epigenetics for that. More specifically, you can thank DNA methylation, since it’s been recently shown to play a crucial role in the ripening process of the sweet orange fruit. The collaborative efforts of Jian-Kang Zhu at Purdue University (Indiana, […]

Histone Methyltransferase Loss Disconnects the Autistic Brain

February 12, 2019

Connection and communication represent two crucial concepts in the massive and complex network that is the mammalian brain; therefore, the disruption of neural connections during early development may promote the onset of neurodevelopmental disorders. Previous studies have linked the histone methyltransferase SETD5 with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which inspired researchers from the lab of Alysson […]

ChIP-seq SNFs Out the Epigenomic Impact of SWI/SNF Loss in Paediatric Brain Tumors

February 8, 2019

Cancer researchers have been SNFing around the role of the SWI/SNF complex for a long time. By SWItching to a ChIP-seq approach, novel details about how biallelic loss of a key gene promotes a cancerous epigenome have been uncovered. SWI/SNF (or BAF) is a chromatin remodeling complex and a key regulator of early development that […]

Too Much Tau Over Relaxes Chromatin in Neurons in Aging and Alzheimer’s Brains

February 3, 2019

Taking a break can be a great thing for our aging brains, it gives us a chance to unwind and open ourselves up to new ideas. However, it’s possible to have too much of a good thing, where overly relaxed chromatin can wreak havoc on an aging neuron and drive pathological changes! One of the […]

LncRNA-mediated Trisomy Silencing: Is the Reversal of Down Syndrome-associated Disease Just an Epigenetic Switch Away?

January 24, 2019

While “the rule of three” principle may make three the magic number for fairy tales and Hollywood blockbusters, trisomy of chromosome 21 causes Down syndrome (DS) and leads to the development of a range of severe associated disease and disorders in affected patients. However, research out of the laboratory of Jeanne B. Lawrence (University of […]