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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For Histone Variants It’s All in the Name

May 31, 2012

Understanding the nomenclature for histone variants can sometimes be like deciphering an ancient language without a translation app. And as more variants are discovered without a naming convention to guide the process, the confusion just keeps growing. That’s why Steve Henikoff and the rest of the attendees of the EMBO Workshop on Histone Variants last […]

Allele-Specific Histone Modifications Frequent Disease Loci

May 24, 2012

Just as “identical” twins can sometimes have a few noticeable differences (one has a mole on her cheek, the other doesn’t), alleles that are copies of the same gene also can be different. Allele-specific methylation (ASM) might get all the attention, but now researchers in the U.K. say that allele-specific histone modification (ASHM) might be […]

Try Zymo’s EZ DNA Methylation-Lightning™ Kit Free

May 24, 2012

Give the fastest bisulfite conversion kit on the market, the EZ DNA Methylation-Lightning Kit, a spin without spending a dime! Zymo Research is now offering free samples of the Lightning Kit through their website. Just look for the Sample Available icon in the right hand column, fill out the form and you’ll have a trial […]

New Epigenetic Analysis Methods to Watch in 2012

May 24, 2012

Based on what we’ve seen so far in journals, conferences and interviews, 2012 could be a banner year for epigenetic analysis methods. New twists on old tricks, and futuristic technology advances have converged to create some really exciting new approaches in the field. Here are just a few that you’ll want to keep track of […]

DNA Methylation Deserts: Hot Spots for Structural Genomic Mutations

May 23, 2012

Deserts typically stir up images of desolate landscapes sprinkled with cacti, but according to a new report, ‘methylation deserts’, the 1% of the genome with the lowest occurrence of DNA methylation, are actually fertile ground for structural genomic mutations. A research group from the Baylor College of Medicine knew that the human genome contains many loci […]

Enhancers Set the Stage for Stem Cell Differentiation during Embryogenesis

May 23, 2012

It’s amazing to think that we all started out as one cell with DNA from our parents inside. Now, researchers in Spain and the Netherlands say that they have a better idea of how development happens—and enhancers are showing them the way by pointing out active genes. The researchers knew that active enhancers are marked […]

ChIP Enrichment Gets Solid (Phase)

May 16, 2012

The application of chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) in epigenetics research is expanding constantly. Lately it seems that every last aspect of the ChIP process from antibody validation and DNA shearing to purification is being fine-tuned by experts worldwide. One of the latest upgrades to the ChIP process improves chromatin capture and cleanup. Over the years researchers […]

Single Molecule Epigenetic Analysis with Dr. Paul Soloway

May 15, 2012

Dr. Paul Soloway discusses the limitations with some of the main methods used in epigenetics research and shares a glimpse into what the next generation of tools will look like. This interview took place at the Keystone Symposia’s Epigenomics and Chromatin Dynamics joint meeting in January, 2012. Getting Past ChIP and Bisulfite Applications So, chromatin […]

Conference Trends: Nutrition in Epigenetics

May 15, 2012

Conferences provide an up-to-the-minute look at what’s going on inside epigenetics labs all over the world. By tuning into our conference coverage, we’ve tagged diet and nutrition as an important trend to follow in epigenetic research. Here’s a look at some trendy examples in our Conference Highlights from the last year or so. Differentially Methylated […]

Nanofluidic Sorting and Analyzing of Single Methylated DNA Molecules in Real Time

May 14, 2012

Getting kids to line up single-file can be a challenge, but lining up single molecules for analyses can be just as frustrating. Now, researchers at Cornell report that they’ve done just that—they can line up single DNA molecules in a tiny channel in a nanofluidic device, sort them according to methylation state, then recover them […]