Moms Hedonistic Lifestyle Echoes Through the Ages Thanks to Sperm tRNA-derived Small RNAsMay 28, 2019Sometimes a novel, a poem, or a song can enjoy such an outpouring from adoring fans that its influence can echo across the ages; however, recent work led by the lab of Daria Peleg-Raibstein (ETH Zurich, Switzerland) has established that mom’s unhealthy lifestyle can also echo across the ages leading to an observed negative impact […]
The Emergence of m7G onto the Mammalian Epitranscriptome SceneMay 9, 2019From Greta Thunberg leading global climate protests to Katie Bouman capturing the first picture of a black hole; sometimes an emerging star can create enormous waves on the world scene. In the realm of epigenetics, the “humble” N 7-methylguanosine (m7G) modification forms the eukaryotic mRNA cap, a structure that regulates mRNA export, translation, and splicing, […]
If You Like Piña Coladas, and tRNAs: Unique Relationships Between tRFs and mRNAsMay 6, 2019It can be tough to find a significant other that checks all the boxes: smart, funny, and into epigenetics. But if you think your relationship is tough to figure out, just wait until you see the relationship between tRNA derived fragments and mRNAs. New research from the lab of Isidore Rigoutsos (Thomas Jefferson University, USA) […]
Members of the PIWI League Play Important Positions in the BrainMay 3, 2019It takes a special kind of small RNA to try out for the PIWI team. PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNA) are small, have and adenine at their 10th position, an uracil at their 5’ end, and 2’-O-methylation at their 3’ end. This unique physique helps piRNA work with PIWI proteins to defend the germline against an aggressive transposon offense, but […]
Giving Identity to the Masses: Antisense lncRNA Transcription Facilitates DNA Demethylation to Determine Promoter ChoiceApril 21, 2019As modern technology develops, we grow increasingly connected with one another while also striving to maintain our individual identities. Although some may blame social media for our desire to be unique snowflakes just like everyone else, exciting new research demonstrates a molecular mechanism for individual neuronal identity in the brain that may just be the […]
LncRNA-mediated Trisomy Silencing: Is the Reversal of Down Syndrome-associated Disease Just an Epigenetic Switch Away?January 24, 2019While “the rule of three” principle may make three the magic number for fairy tales and Hollywood blockbusters, trisomy of chromosome 21 causes Down syndrome (DS) and leads to the development of a range of severe associated disease and disorders in affected patients. However, research out of the laboratory of Jeanne B. Lawrence (University of […]
Long Lasting Effects of Trauma in Sperm Long RNAsNovember 21, 2018Long-ing for an explanation for transgenerational epigenetic inheritance via sperm? Well at long last long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are giving us some insight. Studies have shown that sperm DNA methylation and small non-coding RNA (ncRNA) content mediate the transmission of life experience to subsequent generations, especially parental stress. In fact, early life stress is one […]
Smooth as Silc1: A ncRNA Lnc to Nerve RegenerationNovember 6, 2018When it comes to nerve damage, the mammalian peripheral nervous system (PNS) is arms and legs ahead of the central nervous system (CNS) in its ability to regenerate damaged neurons. While neuroscientists already knew that the PNS has an innate ability to express pro-regenerative transcription factors after injury, a new paper has the nerve to […]
Extra! Extra! Read All About It! – Study of Extra-Telomeric Roles of hTR Uncovers Histone mRNA-Mediated Telomere Homeostasis!November 6, 2018When it comes to our telomeres, we are often left with the feeling that a little bit extra is better. However, a new article which just crossed our paths had a little bit of “extra” that turned our heads: a study of the extra-telomeric functions of the human telomerase RNA component (hTR). hTR contains a […]
Not Just Monkey Business: circRNAs are Dynamic in the Aging Non-Human Primate BrainSeptember 28, 2018While we tend to grow out of monkey business and running in circles as we grow older, exciting new profiles of brain circular RNA (circRNA) dynamics during normal aging have emerged thanks to these two youthful tactics. This insightful research into non-human primates comes from the groups of Jiali Li (University of the Chinese Academy […]