Pregnancy-linked miRNA Cluster in Exosomes May Spark AdenomasMay 9, 2012We’ve all had things come back and haunt us—like our high school yearbook picture (the horror!). Now, researchers in Germany say they hypothesize that the same thing could happen with a chromosome 19 miRNA cluster. These miRNAs appear to dampen a mother’s immune response to a developing fetus, but the researchers think that this “immunomodulatory” […]
Argonaute AGO2 Gives miRNAs a Little Trim Around the EdgesApril 17, 2012Isn’t there always one person in a group of friends who’s a little weird or different? It turns out that AGO2, is a little different from its Argonaute paralogs, AGO1, 3, and 4. Researchers in Singapore are reporting that unlike other Argonautes, oddball AGO2 trims mammalian miRNAs, changing their functions during development. The team knew […]
miRNAs Decide Which Honey Bees Do Which Honey-Do’sApril 17, 2012It seems nobody has been busier than the honey bee lately when it comes to being a model epigenetic organism. (Watch your back c. elegans!) Over the last year or so, we’ve seen how HDAC inhibitors affect the bee caste system, as well as how social cues alter DNA methylation patterns in the brains of […]
Epigenetic Regulation of Gene ExpressionFebruary 25, 2012EpiGenie recently reviewed the epigenetic text book RNA and the Regulation of Gene Expression. Here we give you a small taste of the content found inside with a summary of one of the chapters: Epigenetic Regulation of Gene Expression by Kevin Morris This chapter outlines the fundamental aspects of epigenetic regulation as it relates to […]
Small RNA-mediated Gene ActivationFebruary 25, 2012EpiGenie recently reviewed the epigenetic text RNA and the Regulation of Gene Expression by Kevin Morris. To give you a small taste of the material covered in the book, here is a summary of one of the chapters: Small RNA-mediated Gene Activation by Long-Cheng Li Noncoding RNAs (ncRNA) which, by definition, do not code for […]
The New Human Epigenome Browser from WashUFebruary 23, 2012Looking for the latest in epigenome data analysis tools? Then you’ll want to check out Washington University’s latest creation; The Human Epigenome Browser. Built as part of the Roadmap Epigenomics Project to house and view Human Epigenome Atlas data, this new platform comes with all sorts of slick features to make analyzing, comparing and integrating […]
Cells Socialize via miRNAs to Protect Against AtherosclerosisFebruary 16, 2012Nowadays, there are ton of ways to talk to your friends—phone, text, email, Facebook, Twitter, Skype…Now, an international team of researchers add to the growing literature showing that cells can talk to each other by sending out vesicles with miRNAs in them. This time, the cells are inside blood vessels, and the message is to […]
Epigenetics and TwinsFebruary 8, 2012Every summer outside Cleveland, Ohio identical twins congregate at the Twins Days Festival. Twins from all over join in on an assortment of activities over three days that resembles a massive Doublemint® gum commercial. It’s not just the twins that get stoked for the festival though. As was highlighted in a nice article in National […]
EpiGenie Reviews RNA and the Regulation of Gene ExpressionFebruary 1, 2012The concept of gene regulation by RNAs wasn’t always as well accepted as it is today, and even now some view the idea as controversial. The text RNA and the Regulation of Gene Expression, edited by Kevin Morris, explores the evidence that has convinced many top researchers of the important roles that RNAs have in […]
Microparticles Let miRNAs Cruise the Circulatory Super-HighwayJanuary 23, 2012MicroRNAs have attracted interest as potential blood biomarkers for various cardiovascular diseases, but researchers haven’t quite figured out how they avoid destruction while in the bloodstream. Sort of like tiny outlaws on the run, while traveling the circulatory super-highway miRNAs must nimbly evade the RNAases that might catch them in order to reach their destination […]
