CpG Island (R)EvolutionJune 2, 2011CpG islands and their methylation patterns are the epigeneticists bread and butter, and it’s been assumed by many that there are evolutionary reasons behind their existence. New data suggests that not all CpG islands were created equal, and much like Donald Trump’s hair, can’t entirely be explained by natural selection. High-powered researchers from the Weizmann […]
Posttraumatic Stress Risk Altered by DNA MethylationJune 1, 2011After nearly a decade of sending troops into harms way, the U.S. is now coping with the aftermath that those situations can create for our armed forces, like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). So it’s nice to see progress made towards understanding that condition. While many people are exposed to traumatic events, only a fraction will develop […]
EpiGenie 5-hmC Round-upJune 1, 2011We’re not entirely sure what the enigmatic base variant 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) does or why it’s important yet, but we do know it’s become one of our favorite epigenetic topics. Whether you’re a 5-hmC newbie, or just need a quick refresher, you’ll want to check out our favorite articles we’ve featured on the subject. Hydroxymethylcytosine Shakes […]
Histone Tails Take the Lead In De Novo MethylationMay 29, 2011“Newborn” (or de novo) DNA sequences come into this world just like newborn human babies—naked. So, how do new sequences get their DNA methylation on? Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences say they’ve figured out what happens after the histones settle in: H3 tails that lack methylation at K4 bind to and activate de […]
ATP-Dependent Factors Help Nucleosomes Get OrganizedMay 19, 2011Those of us with messy desks or bench spaces know how difficult it can be to get organized. But don’t feel bad–a new paper in Science suggests that nucleosomes need help from “professional organizers” to form nice, evenly spaced arrays in gene promoters. For decades now, researchers have been trying to figure out how nucleosomes […]
Methylome Analysis Today: No One is PerfectMay 18, 2011With everyone focused on their own daily grind, its easy to gloss over some of life’s more philosophical questions like: “Does a falling tree make a sound if no one is there to hear it?” “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” or even “Are my methylome studies really accurate?” In an Epigenomics review […]
Decoding the Epigenetic Role of Non-coding RNAsMay 18, 2011About 90% of our genome is transcribed, but only 1-2% of the transcripts encode proteins. So what are all of those non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) doing? A better question might be: what aren’t they doing? In addition to regulating gene expression at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, ncRNAs play a big part in the control of […]
RNA Immunoprecipitation Comes Of AgeMay 17, 2011RNA Immunoprecipitation (RIP) is growing up. After suffering through some awkward adolescent years, RIP has evolved from its humble beginnings in a few hardcore labs and is now stepping out shadow of its more famous cousin, Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP). The more mature RIP has been steadily building its fan base too with curious researchers seeking […]
5hmC Analysis TwoferMay 13, 2011Everybody loves a twofer, and now for the amount of time spent reading a single Nature paper ( or at least this EpiGenie summary), you can learn about two new methods for 5hmC analysis. A clever team of researchers has developed two independent approaches for the genome-wide mapping of 5hmC, neither of which relies on […]
miRNAs: Masters of the Tumor MicroenvironmentMay 3, 2011We’ve all heard the slogans about how to lessen our impact on the environment: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. But, what about the impact of microenvironments on us? Scientists have known for years that tumor growth is supported by the surrounding microenvironment, and now a group of Italian researchers have identified miRNAs as the masters that control […]