IsomiRs, 3′ variants May Shine Light on miRNA FunctionJuly 15, 2011As next-generation sequencing continues to explode in popularity, researchers are finding out that nucleic acids are a lot more complex than they ever imagined. One miRNA gene = one miRNA? Nah, that would be too simple. Instead, just like their protein-coding counterparts, miRNA genes can give rise to multiple variants, or isomiRs. Now researchers in […]
EpiGenie Environmental Epigenetics ReviewJuly 6, 2011Thanks to growing interest from the general public, environmental epigenetics is a red-hot topic with no signs of cooling off anytime soon. We’ve certainly covered our fair share of research with an environmental slant to it, so if you want to review, research, or just plain get up to speed on the subject, these articles […]
Hitting the (Hair Dye) Bottle May Alter DNA MethylomeJuly 6, 2011If you change your hair color more frequently than Lady Gaga, you may be affecting your DNA methylation patterns, according to a new study in the journal Epigenetics. To gain a better understanding of the “normal” human methylome, researchers used BeadChip arrays to analyze the methylation of 26,486 CpG loci in the blood of 205 […]
Decoding the Epigenetic Role of Non-coding RNAsMay 18, 2011About 90% of our genome is transcribed, but only 1-2% of the transcripts encode proteins. So what are all of those non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) doing? A better question might be: what aren’t they doing? In addition to regulating gene expression at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels, ncRNAs play a big part in the control of […]
RNA Immunoprecipitation Comes Of AgeMay 17, 2011RNA Immunoprecipitation (RIP) is growing up. After suffering through some awkward adolescent years, RIP has evolved from its humble beginnings in a few hardcore labs and is now stepping out shadow of its more famous cousin, Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP). The more mature RIP has been steadily building its fan base too with curious researchers seeking […]
miRNAs: Masters of the Tumor MicroenvironmentMay 3, 2011We’ve all heard the slogans about how to lessen our impact on the environment: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. But, what about the impact of microenvironments on us? Scientists have known for years that tumor growth is supported by the surrounding microenvironment, and now a group of Italian researchers have identified miRNAs as the masters that control […]
DNA Methylation Keeps iPS Cells Living in the PastApril 19, 2011Some people are convinced that they’ve lived a past life, recalling snippets of someone else’s memories from a different time and place. Now, without the benefit of hypnosis, researchers have discovered that induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells also retain transcriptional memories of past lives as somatic cells, which can be at least partially explained by […]
miRNAs Better at Predicting Outcome Than NCAA SeedsApril 12, 2011After this year’s March Madness Tournament, many people are wondering whether predictive measures have any relation to outcome in the real world. Luckily, scientists are too busy to watch that many basketball games. Since the best defense is a good offense, researchers from Luxembourg and Seattle teamed up to try to identify markers that could […]
Formaldehyde Fumes Foil miRNA ExpressionApril 12, 2011Anyone who’s gotten too close while pouring an RNA gel knows the eye-burning, nose-hair-singeing bite of formaldehyde fumes. Even outside the lab, we breathe in trace levels of formaldehyde released from car exhaust and manufacturing processes. Now researchers at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill have uncovered changes in miRNA expression of lung cells exposed […]
miRNA Mimics Take Imperfect Aim at Gene PromotersMarch 29, 2011Sometimes a perfect match isn’t all it’s cracked up to be – just look at the Hollywood divorce rate. Whether you’re talking relationships or ncRNAs, a few mismatches between partners can still lead to a successful outcome. That seems to be the case for small RNAs that recognize gene promoter regions, as revealed by researchers […]