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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Pluripotency Genes are Loopy about their Neighborhood

October 25, 2014

Most of us understand the importance of a good neighborhood; we look for somewhere to reflect our identity and to bring us together with similar minded people. Interestingly, recent work from the labs of Keji Zhao and Richard A. Young suggests that certain genes in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) act in a similar manner. The inquisitive crew of […]

Natural Disasters Impact DNA Methylation

October 16, 2014

As Polar Vortex II approaches, you’ll be interested in a recent study highlighting the impact of environment stressors on the epigenome. Prenatal maternal stress exposure is known to adversely affect offspring in a number of ways, depending on the nature of the exposure, but is typically studied in common exposures like diet, alcohol, and lead. But this has left the […]

Epigram: Predicting the Human Epigenome from DNA Motifs

October 16, 2014

There’s no denying the power of technology in our lives, whether it be your latest and greatest iPhone bending in your pocket or it be getting the technology to do something more useful, like predict the entire epigenome and how it functions in the regulation of gene expression. We’ve always loved a good tool and/or […]

Are LncRNAs the Future of Non-Invasive Prostate Cancer Testing?

October 9, 2014

Prostate cancer is the leading cause of mortality in North-American men and as a result many are forced to the clinic for some rather invasive biopsies, but thanks to some cool epigenetics involving lncRNAs, those once dreaded trips to the doctor’s office may soon be replaced a much less invasive urine test. Ranjan Perera and crew […]

Maternal Care Causes Variation in Behavior and Gene Regulation in Females

October 1, 2014

Life experiences shape us in ways that are hard to imagine, whether it’s a catch-phrase from a favorite TV show slipping into our vocabulary ,or how much your mother licked you while you were child (We know that sounds weird for humans, but licking just happens to be a measure of maternal care in rodents). […]

Inheritance of Histone Mod Caught at Cell division

September 29, 2014

Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance is one of our favorite topics, it’s done a great job of showing old school Mendelian inheritance who’s boss by creating the molecular complexity of complex traits. With phenotypes and exposures aplenty, the one thing that has been missing is catching the inheritance of an acquired epigenetic mark in the act. And that’s just what a […]

Transcription Factor Networking Predicts Histone Mods

September 22, 2014

Computational networking is all the rage, not only can it help you keep track of your friends and colleagues but it can also reveal a surprising amount of information behind the regulation of gene expression. Now a computationally cutting edge team from the University of Edinburgh have found out how to use transcription factor binding patterns […]

Environmental enrichment stimulates neural 5hmC dynamics

September 17, 2014

Judging from the luxurious lifestyles of the rich and famous, it would seem there’s no denying the wonders of an enriched environment. Even at an epigenetic scale, enhancing your environment properly and with a bit of personal restraint leads to improvements in the brain aplenty, including learning and memory. A team from Emory University characterized the […]

The IsomiR Comsos: Population and Gender Dependancies

September 17, 2014

While microRNAs have been generally thought of as very homogenous little genomic modulators, some new studies are finding that there is actually an entire miRNA cosmos out there with slight variations that are relevant to gender and population differences in mammals. Over at Thomas Jefferson University, Isidore Rigoutsos and his colleagues have already seen some pretty […]

Rewiring Stem Cell Transcriptional Circuitry

September 12, 2014

It seems all that was needed for human stem cells to maintain their pluripotent state, was just a little transcriptional rewiring. This cellular circuitry wasn’t handled by a master electrician though, but rather a group of Cambridge area researchers. A collaboration involving the Babraham Institute, Cambridge Stem Cell Institute and the European Bioinformatics Institute, led […]