This is Your Epigenetic Wake Up Call! Don’t Sleep on NAP-seq When Searching for ncRNAsApril 21, 2024Has searching for ncRNAs left you needing forty winks? Maybe take a short rest and dream-a-little-dream, but don’t sleep on a brand new technique known as napRNA sequencing or NAP-seq, which represents a wake-up call to the epigenetics field by providing the ability to describe novel classes of human regulatory non-coding or ncRNAs! Wakey-wakey! RNA […]
A Selfish, Poisonous Element Could Set the Evolutionary Stage for Genomic ImprintingApril 15, 2024A selfish toddler might throw a tantrum to get their way, but in worms, a “selfish” piece of DNA known as a toxin-antidote (TA) element uses something more sinister—poison. Researchers have just discovered a parent-of-origin effect with this nematode element that could be an evolutionary precursor of genomic imprinting. Led by Alejandro Burga (Institute of Molecular […]
EvoETR Epigenome Editor Helps Maintain Cholesterol Levels by Silencing Pcsk9March 25, 2024Ever wanted to cut a bad thing out of your life? Well, perhaps the secret to success doesn’t involve any cutting (of your DNA). In some people, a mutant PCSK9 gene interferes with the liver’s job to get rid of LDL, aka “bad” cholesterol. Now, researchers have developed an all-in-one “evolved engineered transcriptional repressor” (EvoETR) […]
No Epigenetic Modification is an Island: How Reader Proteins Functionally Interpret Complex Chromatin StatesMarch 25, 2024Like no man is an island and instead relies on those surrounding them, single epigenetic modifications generally do not function in solitary. Now, an absorbing new study from a synergistic epigenomics squad reports how epigenetic reader proteins functionally interpret chromatin states made up of complex combinations of disparate epigenetic modifications. A highly collaborative team guided […]
Gut Microbiota Uses the Histone Code to Make Intestinal Cells Speak Their LanguageMarch 19, 2024A growling stomach represents a clear sign that you must eat something tasty; however, sometimes, your digestive system is where the message needs to go! An exciting epigenetics study reveals that our gut microbiota employs a histone code via histone acylations to influence gene expression in intestinal cells, forcing these cells to speak their language! […]
“ATAC-see” Visualizes A World of Novel Chromatin RegulatorsMarch 11, 2024Many have seen a world of opportunities open with the release of artificial intelligence-based tools to the public; now, an all-seeing team has combined CRISPR technology with “transposase-accessible chromatin with visualization,” aka ATAC-see, to open a whole epigenome of possibilities by identifying novel chromatin regulators! The team, headed by the “visionary” Yusuke Miyanari (Kanazawa University), […]
reChIP Doubles Down on Low-input Profiling of Bivalent ChromatinMarch 5, 2024Sometimes, when you’re dealt the right hand, doubling down is a sound strategy. Although it can be a risky move in blackjack, a new ChIP-seq method makes it a sure thing when you’re dealing with bivalent chromatin. The strategy, which includes important preparation steps and two rounds of chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), provides sensitive genome-wide profiles […]
Updated cfDNA Nucleosomics Technology Upgrades our Epigenetic ClocksMarch 4, 2024A new style, novel functionalities, and a better overall product; we always want our smartwatches to employ the latest technology, and why not?! Now, a well-timed update involving cell-free DNA (cfDNA) nucleosomics-based technology provides for a significantly upgraded epigenetic clock, which may boost aging-based research. A punctual team led by Vladimir B. Teif (University of […]
FORGEdb Deciphers Genetic Variants and Disease Mechanisms to Tell Whether Your Gene Regulation Mechanism is a Touchdown or a Field Goal!February 26, 2024Performing experiments to understand gene regulation and do not want to miss any extra points? Well, FORGEdb may be the method for you! Building on previous research, this new method can help scientists unravel the mysteries behind complex diseases by identifying candidate functional variants and uncovering target genes and mechanisms. Developed by a team led […]
SIMPLE-seq Collaborates Chemistries to Report Single-Cell 5mC and 5hmCFebruary 20, 2024Collaborations work best when team members’ abilities complement each other. That’s what makes SIMPLE-seq work so well—it’s a simple, easy combination of two methods that complement each other to provide both 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) datasets in one experiment in single cells and molecules. Continuing on the recent theme of methods that report both 5mC […]