GAM SLICEs Through Enhancer ThreesomesMarch 24, 2017While chromosome conformation capture (3C) methods like single-cell Hi-C focus on coupled pairs of chromosome contacts, and even their promiscuous regions, candid snapshots of chromosomal threesomes have remained an intimate secret … until now. The genomic architects in the labs of Ana Pombo and Mario Nicodemi developed a new method and accompanying statistical model to […]
CAGE Releases an Accurate Atlas of lncRNA Origin and FunctionMarch 21, 2017Don’t you just hate when you’re trying to get from A to B and google maps can’t even figure out where you’re starting from? Well, just like your last trip to that hot new sushi place, the precise location of lncRNA origins has only been plotted with blurry lines. Thankfully, to aid the start of […]
Gene Body DNA Methylation Keeps Cells Fit and HealthyMarch 9, 2017Boots, check! Helmet, check! DNA Methylation, check? Any active individual will tell you that protecting your body is an integral part of keeping fit and healthy while enjoying your sport of choice. In the über-competitive world of DNA, a study from the teams of Francesco Neri and Salvatore Oliviero has proposed that DNA methylation on […]
Single and Ready to Mingle: Single-Cell Bisulfite Sequencing Gives Up Its Intimate SecretsMarch 9, 2017Ever fancy a go with a new technique only to find that the methods section of the paper is holding out on the most intimate details? While single-cell bisulfite sequencing (scBs-seq) has been lusted after by many a researcher, mingling with those single cells has proved a bit more challenging. But fear not, the labs […]
Engineered Cells Treat Diabetic MiceFebruary 23, 2017Mmm… post-lunch blood glucose spike! Sitting down at my quiet computer, I can nearly hear my pancreatic islet cells working away, pumping out insulin to keep my blood glucose levels in check. Unfortunately, millions of people are not so well-protected from the glycemic havoc so mercilessly wreaked by chocolate cake. For people with type 1 […]
Optogenetic Epigenetic Editing of DNA Methylation Puts You in Control of Stem Cell FateFebruary 16, 2017In Greek mythology, the fates forge the strings of life that control our lives and choose the moment of its end. We mere mortals yearn for such powers and we are now one step closer to the light thanks to an optogenetic epigenome editing system that lets you write and erase DNA methylation to control […]
In Vivo Gene Editing Strategy has CRISPR-Cas9 on the BrainFebruary 16, 2017Are you crazy for CRISPR-Cas9? Are you gaga for in vivo gene editing? You should probably get out more, but in the meantime we have just the study for you. A new Nature Biotechnology study from the lab of Jennifer A Doudna has described a major step toward the in vivo application of CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene […]
Pool Party: CRISPR + DropSeq For Better Pooled ScreeningFebruary 16, 2017For those living in the more Northern climes, this is just about the time when you would give nearly anything for a sunny pool party. When it comes to pool parties, CRISPR turns out to be a pretty good host, but with one important caveat – CRISPR pool parties tend to be life-or-death affairs. Pooled […]
Large Chromatin Domains Drive Pancreatic Cancer’s Sugar RushFebruary 14, 2017A sugar rush can fuel many things. It can power the late-night experiments demanded by reviewer number 3 or it can drive tumor evolution. Fueled by both these factors, new insight into the linked metabolic-epigenetic mechanisms of metastasis comes at you from a collaborative effort led by the lab of Andrew Feinberg in the Center […]
Histone Modification Imaging Pr-EDICTS Stem Cell FateJanuary 27, 2017Will it rain? Will my team win? Will I get that grant? There are instances where a glance into a fortune-teller’s crystal ball could definitely give you the upper hand. Although the crystal ball is a myth, researchers from the lab of Prabhas V. Moghe (Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA) have recently developed a means […]