TIME-Seq Flies When Constructing Cost-Effective Epigenetic ClocksFebruary 19, 2024If time drags and money disappears when looking at DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks, you are “in time” to hear of a newly described efficient and cost-effective bisulfite sequencing approach! Time flies – but money does not – with “tagmentation-based indexing for methylation sequencing” or TIME-seq! An on-time team led by David A. Sinclair (Harvard Medical […]
eBook: New & Novel Methods for Epigenetic AnalysisFebruary 7, 2024Epigenetics is not new, but methods used for analysis certainly can be! In this eBook, we take a look at, and present in a simple format, some of the hottest new methods for researchers looking at DNA Methylation, RNA modifications, Chromatin and Gene Regulation. Topics Include: Differential Methylation Data Are Quick, Easy, and Inexpensive with […]
GEMS Makes the m6A RNA Modification Shine in Living CellsFebruary 5, 2024Unlike DNA or histone methylation, knowledge about N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of RNA is a little cloudy. It’s involved in some cancers and other diseases, but we don’t know as much about its expression in living cells. Now, a new method called GEMS makes m6A shine bright like a diamond for drug discovery and delivery of […]
Bilingual Proteins Establish and Maintain Heritable Silent Chromatin DomainsFebruary 5, 2024Whether you learn through hitting the books or traveling the globe – speaking two languages has many advantages. Now, a study into the basis of gene expression regulation reports how bilingual “read-write” proteins that “speak” two epigenetic languages can help us to learn about the complex mechanisms controlling sequence-independent heritable gene silencing. The dynamic duo […]
XIST’s X-istential Crisis: A New Role in Autosomal Gene RegulationJanuary 22, 2024The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) XIST functions as an epigenetic silencer tightly linked to the X chromosome to balance gene expression between the sexes; however, this lncRNA now has a cause for concern as an autosomal gene regulatory function just pushed XIST into a full-blown “X-istential” crisis! Reports have described a dispersed XIST configuration in […]
uCoTarget Is a Single-Cell Multiomics Method for Multiple Histone ModificationsJanuary 17, 2024Everyone loves a bargain, and a new method called CoTarget really delivers. It’s a method that delivers single-cell multiomics data on multiple histone modifications and transcription factors, as well as the transcriptome. It can easily scale up to analyze a million single cells, and unlike similar methods, it doesn’t require microfluidic devices or special transposon […]
SSSavi: Savvy Epigenome Editing with Diverse, Orderly TeamsDecember 12, 2023Bringing in the right combination of people with different perspectives and abilities can take a team to new heights. And just like that savvy diverse team, a new epigenome editing tool called the Spy-Snoop-Sun-Avi (SSSavi) system recruits diverse effector molecules in an interchangeable and orderly way to understand how combinations of DNA and histone modifications […]
Long Non-coding RNAs Conduct a Synaptic Symphony to Orchestrate Fear Extinction MemoryDecember 12, 2023Most epigenetic studies are music to our ears, but do you prefer “The Rolling Histones,” “Run-5mC,” or something more classical while working in the lab? Well, move over rock and hip-hop, as an epigenetic masterpiece now describes how a long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) epigenetically conducts a synaptic symphony to “orchestrate” fear extinction memory. Previous pleasant-sounding […]
DNA Methylation Analysis Shows How Cannabis Exposure Increases the Risk of Adverse Health OutcomesDecember 11, 2023Do not risk missing a new paper describing a recent trans-ancestry epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) highlighting the significant health risks of recreational cannabis! In a fascinating new study, researchers now reveal that cannabis exposure can impact DNA methylation levels at specific regions independent of cigarette smoking to increase the risk of adverse health outcomes. Risk-averse […]
Messing Up Methylation: Formaldehyde is a Targeted Bull in a China Shop November 27, 2023Just like a bull in a china shop, formaldehyde (FA) was thought to damage almost everything it bumped into. But new research shows that it’s a lot more targeted, and it really likes proteins involved in DNA methylation. Sure, FA can preserve brains in jars, but it’s most often used in consumer products like glues and […]