Running in Circles: circRNAs Act as Shuttles for miRNA CargoAugust 15, 2017Feeling out of the loop about all the different non-coding RNAs being described? Well hold on, because circular RNAs (circRNA) are about to throw you for a loop. Mammalian circRNAs are created by covalent closure of transcribed exons into loops. These circRNAs are highly expressed in specific brain regions, and conserved between mice and humans. They […]
Genome Protection in the Embryo: A Big Role for Small RNAs!July 27, 2017It’s not how big it is, it’s what you do with it that counts. Here at Epigenie, we don’t think that size matters, as evidenced by our excitement over studies showing that small RNAs in sperm can mediate huge intergenerational effects related to paternal exercise and diet! Now, a fascinating study from the lab of […]
Exploring the TERRA Incognita of Long Non-Coding RNAs!July 14, 2017Decades of diligent exploration in the mammalian genome has led to the discovery that while only around 2% of this base-pair jungle represents protein-coding sequence, over 90% of our genome gets transcribed into RNA species such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). However, our knowledge base on many lncRNAs remains in “terra incognita” with scant details […]
Environmentally Reprogrammed Sperm Epigenetically Transmit Behavior Across GenerationsJuly 11, 2017Life’s full of experiences that often seem like a coin toss. Should you go the gym or feast on some sushi? While the epigenetic mechanisms behind the outcomes of these two events may seem quite different at first, when considering the epigenetics of sperm, it turns out they’re two-sides of the same coin. Intergenerational Effect […]
The PARTICLE Accelerator of DNA and Histone Methylation CoordinationJune 8, 2017Finding the links between DNA methylation and histone modification is no easy chore. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may be the answer; they are a huge part of the transcriptome, and many appear to be functional. There is growing evidence that lncRNAs act to “lnc” other epigenetic regulators together and coordinate their function. Adding to that […]
Rapid m6A RNA Methylation Soothes Your Molecular SunburnsApril 10, 2017Now that has spring has sprung, many of us are quickly remembering not only how much we missed the sunshine, but also that we forgot to stock up on aloe vera to soothe that fresh sunburn. Attesting to the utility of a good spot treatment, the lab of Yang Shi at Harvard Medical School reveals […]
CAGE Releases an Accurate Atlas of lncRNA Origin and FunctionMarch 21, 2017Don’t you just hate when you’re trying to get from A to B and google maps can’t even figure out where you’re starting from? Well, just like your last trip to that hot new sushi place, the precise location of lncRNA origins has only been plotted with blurry lines. Thankfully, to aid the start of […]
CRISPR Interference Sheds Light on lncRNA FunctionDecember 24, 2016CRISPR/Cas9 regularly “lights up” our homepage here at Epigenie with new breakthroughs in DNA methylation, stem cell gene editing, and 3-D chromosome structure, to name but a few of the recent highlights. Now, an exciting new study published in Science has employed CRISPR/Cas9 technology to illuminate the “dark matter” of our genome; the ubiquitous but […]
Intergenerational Transmission of Extracellular dsRNA Filmed in C. elegansNovember 1, 2016Seeing is believing, whether it be a topic as hot as the upcoming presidential election or intergenerational epigenetic effects and transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. While exciting evidence on the role of sperm RNA in mammals has begun to accumulate thanks to the labs of Mansuy, Bale, and Rando, an elegant C. elegans study from the lab […]
Controlling Gene Circuits With sgRNA-RNA Aptamer HybridsOctober 10, 2016Earlier this year, Chris Voigt’s lab wrote an automated composer for synthetic gene circuits, which can design circuits to do what you want, all the way down to the DNA sequence. As good musicians know, however, the work doesn’t stop once the composer’s ink dries on the page – the next step is to find […]
