Histone H2A.Z Subunit Exchange Controls MemoryDecember 17, 2014Memory is one fancy cellular function that seems to be the niche of the epigenome. Through it a cell can remember its identity and past exposures. But what about that other type of memory? Ya know, neuroepigenetic memory. We’ve already seen that histone methylation has a role in long-term memories and altered histone acetylation (H4K12) is involved […]
Vitamin C Promotes ESC Self-Renewal by Modulating miRNA ExpressionDecember 16, 2014We all know “an apple a day, keeps the doctor away”, but it requires a lot of discipline to ensure that our diet contains enough vitamins. This holds especially true for the daily vitamin C uptake. Unfortunately, humans (and – for some mysterious reason – guinea pigs) lost the ability to synthesize this now essential […]
Alpha-ketoglutarate: Small Metabolite With Big Influence on Stem Cell PluripotencyDecember 15, 2014Many of us go through the morning ritual of picking up store-brewed coffee, although we could just as easily make it ourselves. Most mammalian cells feel the same about glutamine, which they require in abundance, even though glutamine is a non-essential amino acid. Now, stem cell researchers from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center show that glutamine […]
Dynamic Pseudouridylation of ncRNA and mRNADecember 15, 2014Pseudouridine (Ψ) is not only the most abundant post-translational modification (PTM) of RNA in all organisms, but it is also amongst the first discovered, way back in the futuristic 50’s, where it was deemed the 5th nucleotide of RNA. Ψ doesn’t discriminate against cellular functions or evolutionary distinct species. And while studied intently in rRNA […]
Epigenetic Exploitation of Host Cells by VirusesDecember 14, 2014Exploitation is a common theme in all fields of biology and viruses are no exception. But now it seems that viruses are up to some creative tricks when it comes to keeping a low profile in preparation for their full attack and sneaking out a few infections, a process known as viral latency. While DNA methylation may function as […]
Epigenetics Mediates Immortality of Adult Stem CellsDecember 13, 2014What would you do to ensure your immortality? Drink a potion? Cast a spell? Or even set out on an expedition to find the fountain of youth? Researchers from the Adult Stem Cell Technology Centre in Boston, USA have discovered that adult stem cells in the mouse have another more intricate strategy towards living forever […]
Newly Evolved Ribozyme Is Proof-of-principle for the Origin of LifeDecember 13, 2014Life is complicated. While that does apply to ordering your daily caffeine fix at Starbucks, what we’re talking about here is darwinian, entropy-defying, self-replicating life. Just to store, read, and apply genetic information requires 3 different types of molecules: DNA, RNA, and proteins. That makes it tough to imagine how life could ooze into being in […]
Reprogramming to Pluripotency: Lessons from the EggDecember 8, 2014Have you ever wish you could just clone yourself? How much more work you’d be able to get done in a day! While creating an exact copy of yourself that knows everything you do is still very much in the realms of science fiction, cloning human cells is a reality. The first big leap came […]
T Cell Blockade Offers Safe Haven for Stem Cell TransplantsDecember 6, 2014As if human embryonic stem cells didn’t have enough trouble already making it through governmental legislation, they also face rejection from another source: the immune system. In their latest study, Herman Waldmann and his team of talented immunologists from the University of Oxford report a simple strategy to induce long-lasting immune tolerance to stem cell […]
Stem Cells Out of Position – A New Paradigm for Colorectal Cancer?December 5, 2014Colorectal cancer is, unfortunately, a common condition, making up 10% of global cancer cases. Therefore, a full understanding of the initiation and development of these tumor types should improve diagnosis and treatment decisions. A recent study from the University of Oxford has identified a potentially important mechanism of colorectal tumor formation that not only challenges current […]