Amyloids Could Solve the ‘Missing Heritability’ MysterySeptember 23, 2024Science is full of mysteries just waiting to be solved. One of these mysteries is the “missing heritability” problem—it turns out that some traits seem hereditary, yet cannot be traced back to nucleic acids or even known epigenetic modifications. Now, a talented team studying C. elegans has spotted protein clumps called amyloids that could be […]
Mitochondrial tRNAs as Epigenetic Memories of Sperm’s Epididymal Road TripJune 24, 2024If Hollywood has taught us anything, it’s that a road trip during our younger years can leave enduring memories that influence our adult lives. Now, a “blockbuster” study reveals that environmental pressures during maturation in the epididymis endow spermatozoa with “epigenetic” memories that influence offspring health via the intergenerational epigenetic inheritance of tRNAs. Researchers “driven” […]
A Selfish, Poisonous Element Could Set the Evolutionary Stage for Genomic ImprintingApril 15, 2024A selfish toddler might throw a tantrum to get their way, but in worms, a “selfish” piece of DNA known as a toxin-antidote (TA) element uses something more sinister—poison. Researchers have just discovered a parent-of-origin effect with this nematode element that could be an evolutionary precursor of genomic imprinting. Led by Alejandro Burga (Institute of Molecular […]
Going Green! – How Histone Recycling Promotes the Preservation of Pristine Epigenetic LandscapesMarch 6, 2023The climate crisis and our need to produce less waste have made recycling an everyday concept; however, whether histone proteins “go green” during DNA replication has remained somewhat in doubt. The epigenetic environment becomes disrupted during DNA replication and must be restored to maintain genome regulation and cell identity; now, two high-efficiency epigenetic studies provide […]
DNA Methylation Editing Provides Evidence for Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance in MammalsFebruary 26, 2023While we have become familiar with the link between DNA methylation and disease, an exciting epigenetic editing study now reports how DNA methylation contributes to transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in mammals and influences disease-associated traits across generations! In their previous study, a talented team led by Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte at the Salk Institute for Biological […]
Chromatin-Con 2023: Epigenetics of Aging Online ConferenceJanuary 19, 2023Our friends and colleagues at Active Motif will be hosting an online conference focusing on the epigenetics of aging. Tune in if you can…Just take a look at the list of speakers and we’re sure you won’t want to miss it! Click over to the Active Motif website for more details and to register: Chromatin-Con […]
A Fishy Tale of Intergenerational Epigenetic Inheritance of DNA Methylation in a Foul EnvironmentJuly 5, 2021Although the impact of toxic exposure on our epigenome can leave a bad taste, a recent study into hydrogen sulfide transcends the senses by hitting the smell category too. Building on their previous fishy tale of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, the lab of Michael K. Skinner (Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA) recently explored a new species […]
Diet Adds a Tasty New Plot Twist in The Tale of Paternal H3K4me3 TransmissionMarch 2, 2021The genetic tale of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance has just received a tasty twist in its latest installment focused on intergenerational effects. The latest story of this cereal … serial reveals how folate deficiency in the paternal diet influences embryonic development through H3K4me3 transmission. In a previous study, the lab of Sarah Kimmins (McGill University, Montreal, Canada) examined a mouse […]
