MeRIP-seq, N1-methyladenosine (m1A), and the Expanding EpitranscriptomeFebruary 23, 2016There’s no denying that understanding a new language can be tricky. Without a complete alphabet, the most important messages can be lost in translation. When it comes to complex languages, the epigenome is no exception. There are a number of RNA base modifications involved in post transcriptional regulation, including pseudouridine (Ψ) and 5hmC, and there’s […]
Towards Blood DNA Methylation as a Pan-Cancer Surveillance ScreenFebruary 5, 2016Early and less tedious cancer diagnosis can prevent future complications and improve patient outcome, however past studies have revealed that the markers of most cancers are as unique as snowflakes. An enticing solution for this heterogeneity would be to screen for any type of cancer using one detection system to ‘rule them all’. Differential DNA […]
DNA Methylation and Transcription Data from Single Stem CellsJanuary 28, 2016Ever wanted to be able to do two things at the same time? Like work and have a social life? Eat pizza and still fit in your new purchases? Pat your head and rub your belly? While these highly important combinations remain almost impossible (at least for the EpiGenie staff), a stellar cast of scientists […]
RNA Hydroxymethylcytosine Targets the MessengerJanuary 28, 2016A new paper adds another RNA modification to the list already published, but with exciting news for the epigenetics enthusiasts out there… the characterized modification is RNA 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmrC), an important mark previously discovered on DNA. The laboratory of François Fuks at ULB in Brussels decided to look deeper into the presence of 5hmC on […]
Viva in vivo Gene Editing: A Roundup of the Latest CRISPR HitsJanuary 28, 2016Gene editing with CRISPR/Cas9 is here, there, and everywhere. We have seen gene editing in human somatic cells, pluripotent stem cells, and even embryos. However, we should also be looking at CRISPR-based gene editing somewhere else: in a living, breathing human. The question is – where does the current technology stand on the in vivo […]
Casilio: a CRISPR/Cas9 and Pumilio Hybrid for Epigenome EditingJanuary 24, 2016Life is full of challenges, and when that challenge is epigenome editing even a rock star like CRISPR/Cas9 stands to benefit from helping a hand. Epigenome editing with CRISPR/Cas9 involves using a dead Cas9 (dCas9) that confers the precision of the genome editing system without nuclease activity. The standard approach involves utilizing a fusion protein […]
tRNA Fragments Beat DNA Methylation in the Game of Paternal Intergenerational Epigenetic InheritanceJanuary 9, 2016The fact that parental diet affects the metabolism of offspring goes to show that inheritance can be shaped by environmental factors. While early studies focused on mom’s contribution, we’re now starting to see the importance of paternal contribution for shaping an offspring’s epigenome. For the past 15 years, the lab of Oliver Rando at the […]
Stress Accelerates Epigenetic AgeingDecember 18, 2015The epigenetic clock has developed faster than the iWatch: it can predict biological age from select CpGs, which when compared with chronological age, gives a metric known as Δ-age. The greater the difference, the greater the acceleration of epigenetic age, which indicates variation in the rate of senescence between people. To understand this variation and […]
A TAD Closer to Understanding 3D Chromatin StructureDecember 15, 2015Interview with Dr. Jennifer Phillips-Cremins at Keystone Symposia’s Precision Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology. My lab is really focused on understanding the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate early brain development. And the, sort of traditional way of studying epigenetic marks, is to zoom in and really focus on a particular modification at a precise location in […]
m6A Modification Protects Against Heat ShockNovember 13, 2015When exposed to high temperatures, cells behave much as we would on a hot summer’s day. Cell division, and most energy-consuming activities, come to a standstill (a bit like the human equivalent of lying perfectly still on a sunbed with a mojito in hand). Yet, despite the general repression of translation, genes encoding protective heat […]