Evolution Uses Bivalent Chromatin to Control Mammalian DevelopmentJune 22, 2016A big event always requires a bit of prior preparation, and for evolution, mammalian development is no exception. The mammalian body plans have undergone massive evolutionary rearrangements and diversifications requiring the evolution of complex gene expression profiles. Recent studies in specific tissues in mammalian species have now linked these expression changes to the evolution of […]
Synthesizing A Human GenomeJune 16, 2016One score and six years ago, humanity embarked upon the Human Genome Project (HGP), sequencing all 3 gigabases of our genetic instruction manual. More than 1000 human genomes later, a consortium of synthetic biology heavy-hitters has proposed a new grand challenge. Appending “-Read” to the first project, they now propose Human Genome Project-Write, a quest […]
Watch out Cas9: Cpf1 Hits the Mark in Human Cells and Creates a Mouse ModelJune 15, 2016In the Wild West of CRISPR genome editing, Cas9 has established itself as a wrangler of animal models that takes out any sequence with an sgRNA bounty on its head. But now there’s a new sheriff in town with marksman aim. CRISPR from Prevotella and Francisella 1 (Cpf1) was brought forth by the pioneering lab […]
New C2c2 CRISPR Turns The Tables on RNAJune 15, 2016In the CRISPR hype up to now, DNA has gotten a raw deal. In all known CRISPR systems, RNA guides gang up with protein effectors (e.g., Cas9 and Cpf1) to chop up poor, abused DNA helices. Now, a new CRISPR protein – C2c2 – is giving DNA a reprieve, turning the tables on RNA instead. […]
Freeze-Dried, Zika-Detecting Gene CircuitsJune 15, 2016Freeze-drying has claimed to be the technology the future before, but its fruits – from strawberries to ice cream – have never quite lived up to the hype. However, synthetic gene circuits recently joined the picnic with a powerful new use for the process; they can be freeze dried onto filter paper along with cell-free […]
Tracing Cell Lineages with CRISPR/Cas9-Based Genetic BarcodesJune 15, 2016Digital barcodes are a pervasive and highly utile means of tracking just about anything that you can imagine. Through the application of barcode technology we can create a grand overview of the journey each book, beer, burger, or boat took to travel from A to Z. Scientists would love a similar system to track cells […]
The Mixed Messages of Bivalent ChromatinJune 14, 2016Navigating the epigenetic landscape is no easy feat. Clear markings and smooth rides through its canals can quickly give way to a hectic hodgepodge of mixed signals and uncertain routes. A great example is bivalent chromatin, which contains marks of both activation and repression. Characterized by Bernstein et al. in 2006, the most studied bivalent […]
From Brains to Bone – How Oncohistones Cause TumorigenesisJune 7, 2016A flurry of studies over recent years has revealed a significant link between mutations in histone H3 genes and tumorigenesis, although how such H3 mutations (or “oncohistones”) mediate tumorigenesis had only been assessed in certain brain tumors. However, two new studies in Science have now revealed how oncohistones can promote tumorigenesis in mesenchymal tissues, which […]
Designer dCas9 Systems Compete for CRISPR’s Top ActivatorMay 28, 2016Deactivated Cas9 (dCas9) has quickly risen to the spotlight to show that transcriptional regulation is just as fashionable as the ever so popular genome editing. Now, a number of designer systems face-off in a competition to find out who is best at turning on a genome. dCas9 provides the perfect combination of scaffold and targeting […]
Self-Organizing Human Embryos Tell All from the Petri DishMay 26, 2016Humanity’s ongoing quest for knowledge has revealed unseen realms and unimaginable places, but there are still a few things that we know little about – the inner workings of a black hole, the composition of McDonald’s special sauce, and what goes on in the early post-implantation human embryo. There are good reasons for that latter […]