HiChIRP-y New Protocol Reveals the Scaffolding Function of lncRNAsJune 24, 2019Freshly brewed coffee, a lightly toasted bagel, the sweetness of orange juice; what makes you feel “chirpy” first thing in the morning? The good people from the labs of William J. Greenleaf and Howard Y. Chang (Stanford University, CA, USA) have been waking up, working hard, and feeling good, all thanks to the development of […]
Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing of Down Syndrome Brain Captures the Big PictureJune 18, 2019Sometimes in life, we get so focused on the details that we can miss the big picture. One of the best examples of this periscope perspective is the case of Down syndrome. Although it is caused by trisomy of chromosome 21, Down syndrome patients display genome-wide alterations to their transcriptomic and epigenomic profiles; however, the […]
Enhancer Hypomethylation in Alzheimer’s Disease Brain Paves the Way for Cell DeathJune 15, 2019When it comes to understanding the epigenetics of aging, Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) has enhanced our knowledge in countless ways. This neurodegenerative disease has taught us to embrace healthy aging, and some surprising players have emerged from the examination of DNA methylation. Studies have uncovered a role for enhancers in AD; however, investigations into the consequences of DNA methylation at these […]
SETing up SETD2 as a Key Player in Oocyte DevelopmentJune 5, 2019While we’ve been fascinated by how epigenetic alterations during development SET the stage for adult life, in order to fully understand this relationship, we also have to examine how the stage for the development is SET by our epigenome. The epigenome of the oocyte is reprogrammed during early embryonic development; however, some marks remain at […]
The Chicken or the Egg: Beefing Up Causal Relationships Between DNA Methylation and Gene Expression in Skeletal MuscleJune 4, 2019An age old question: Which came first: the chicken or the egg? Determining the cause and effect relationship isn’t easy, and the same is true for the relationship between DNA methylation (DNAme) and gene expression. Who is strong-arming who? And even more important (at least to the pragmatists among us), how do both of these […]
Moms Hedonistic Lifestyle Echoes Through the Ages Thanks to Sperm tRNA-derived Small RNAsMay 28, 2019Sometimes a novel, a poem, or a song can enjoy such an outpouring from adoring fans that its influence can echo across the ages; however, recent work led by the lab of Daria Peleg-Raibstein (ETH Zurich, Switzerland) has established that mom’s unhealthy lifestyle can also echo across the ages leading to an observed negative impact […]
Major Psychosis Upsets the Epigenetic Balance of Chromosome 11 in the BrainMay 28, 2019We always hear about the importance of balance in our lives; work-life balance, balanced budgets, and a balanced diet, but what happens when the scales are tipped? For people struggling with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, an imbalance of dopamine in the brain can lead to delusions or hallucinations caused by major psychosis. Although we’ve known […]
The Emergence of m7G onto the Mammalian Epitranscriptome SceneMay 9, 2019From Greta Thunberg leading global climate protests to Katie Bouman capturing the first picture of a black hole; sometimes an emerging star can create enormous waves on the world scene. In the realm of epigenetics, the “humble” N 7-methylguanosine (m7G) modification forms the eukaryotic mRNA cap, a structure that regulates mRNA export, translation, and splicing, […]
If You Like Piña Coladas, and tRNAs: Unique Relationships Between tRFs and mRNAsMay 6, 2019It can be tough to find a significant other that checks all the boxes: smart, funny, and into epigenetics. But if you think your relationship is tough to figure out, just wait until you see the relationship between tRNA derived fragments and mRNAs. New research from the lab of Isidore Rigoutsos (Thomas Jefferson University, USA) […]
Astronomical Findings from the NASA Twin Study on the Effects of Space FlightMay 6, 2019Identical twins are known for having some pretty out of this world similarities. Picking the same clothes, feeling the other’s pain, and often going into the same careers. The latter is true for Mark and Scott Kelly, monozygotic twins who also both happen to have been trained as astronauts. Twins are a favorite model system […]