X Chromosome Inactivation with Dr. Carolyn BrownDecember 20, 2019Dr. Carolyn Brown from the University of British Columbia discusses her lab’s research into the epigenetics of X chromosome inactivation at the 2019 joint CEEHRC/IHEC meeting.
Existential Epigenetics: Deciphering the Where, the Why, and the How of m6A and m6Am mRNA Methylation!July 26, 2019Can we break the speed of light? Is the universe infinite? What is the answer to life, the universe, and everything? At least two of these questions have fascinated physicists and philosophers for decades, but the questions weighing heavy on their minds of the existential epigeneticists among us relate to something a little different: the […]
Epigenetic Heirlooms: The C. elegans Behavioral Legacy is Inherited Through Small RNAsJuly 2, 2019Some families have heirlooms that get passed down from generation to generation but if you’re a nematode, you might inherit more than just your Grandpa’s pocket watch! The phenomenon of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance (TEI) was first discovered in Caenorhabditis elegans, where environmental stressors can alter physiological responses in offspring up to 20 generations later! Since […]
HiChIRP-y New Protocol Reveals the Scaffolding Function of lncRNAsJune 24, 2019Freshly brewed coffee, a lightly toasted bagel, the sweetness of orange juice; what makes you feel “chirpy” first thing in the morning? The good people from the labs of William J. Greenleaf and Howard Y. Chang (Stanford University, CA, USA) have been waking up, working hard, and feeling good, all thanks to the development of […]
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 […]
