iPS Cells Can’t Escape Their miRNA PastsAugust 4, 2010Even though the second season of The Jersey Shore takes place in Miami, the cast remain true to their ‘guido’ roots. I guess sometimes you just can’t change who you really are. The same is true for microRNA expression profiles of iPS cells. A recent review (Lakshmipathy et.al. 2010) from Ron Hart’s group at the […]
EpiGenie 2010 Mid-Year Editor’s Favorites: Non-Coding RNAJuly 21, 2010We’re halfway through 2010, so we’ve decided to take a look back at some of the best epigenetics publications we’ve covered so far this year. Here are some of our favorite Non-Coding RNA headlines. miRNA Decoys Psuedogenes finally get some love. Long considered to just be wasted genomic space, it turns out that they do […]
HIV miRNA Evolution at Lighting SpeedJuly 1, 2010The HIV reverse transcriptase is known to have a notoriously high error rate. In fact, if your office photocopier was that sloppy, you’d probably end up doing your own version of the classic copier-smashing scene from the movie Office Space. But the shoddy workmanship of HIV’s genome-copying enzyme actually benefits the virus by allowing it […]
miRNAs Duped by Pseudogene DecoysJune 23, 2010Wouldn’t we all like to have a decoy, a look-alike who could stand in for us during life’s unpleasant moments? You know, like being forced to watch the “Dancing with the Stars” finale, or standing in line for 6+ hours at the DMV? A research effort spear-headed by Laura Poliseno at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical […]
miRNAs Enlist in Fight Against H1N1 InfectionJune 22, 2010During last year’s pandemic, the H1N1 Influenza A Virus made itself a bigger nuisance than a stadium full of vuvuzelas at a World Cup match, and so the rush began to figure out how to stop it in its tracks. In a new Journal of Virology paper, investigators have discovered that a handful of cellular […]
Shining the Light on Retinal miRNA RegulationMay 25, 2010As any celebrity can tell you, lighting conditions can make a big difference. A new article in Cell shows that lighting can effect much more than just whether or not a star looks good on the cover of People Magazine, it also plays a part in regulating miRNA expression in the retina. A group from […]
Taming miR-33 Keeps Cholesterol Levels in LineMay 13, 2010Judging from the amount of Lipitor® adds on TV, everyone these days is looking for ways to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise good cholesterol (HDL). Now, in dueling Science Express papers, two independent research teams say that blocking miR-33 expression could give our good cholesterol a real boost. Anders Näär and colleagues at various […]
DNA Methylation Takes a Back Seat To Histone Mods in miRNA RegulationMay 11, 2010DNA methylation has long been considered a key epigenetic driver in transcription, but lately histone modifications have been stealing some of the regulatory thunder. Histone mods like H3K4me3, H3K27me3 and H4 acetylation have shown researchers they’re not afraid to get conrolling when it comes to miRNA transcription either. Researchers from the Institute of Genetics and […]
microRNA Targeting mRNAs: More Exceptions Than RulesMay 5, 2010Up to now, all miRNAs have been assumed to work the same way when it comes to finding their mRNA targets, but a new paper shows that miRNAs behave more like rugged individualists in how they function. Researchers from the University of Kentucky broke out the RIP-Chip method (Argonaute, aka AGO, co-IP assays coupled with […]
BPA Seeps Into Placental miRNA ExpressionMay 4, 2010Since 2008, Bisphenol A (BPA) has seen more bad press than a big U.S. bank. The media blitz of studies linking BPA to a number of reproductive, immune and CNS disorders has led people to eye suspiciously everything from baby bottles to that cool REI water bottle you’ve been hiking with the last few years. […]