EpiGenie Newsletter - Issue No. 7
Ever get that feeling that you forgot something? Well maybe you did, but it doesn't have to be recent epigenetics research if you scope out our headlines each week.
3 September, 2024?
Vaping has been touted as a safer alternative to smoking, but some?recent studies?are showing that the biological effects have similarities. Now, a team clears the air and reports that?DNA methylation?changes in vapers’ oral cells resemble those found in smokers, which suggests that vaping could have comparable long-term health effects. ?
3 September, 2024?
Recent reports have highlighted how?SARS-CoV-2?infection and the resulting?COVID-19can?turn epigenetics against us; however, new research now reveals that the epigenetic machinery can also help us fight back against viral attacks – in the guise of specific RNA modifications.
Reading glasses, or “readers,” help you see text and other fine details up close. Inspired by our desire for increased resolution, a talented team is using?histone readers?to more clearly see which?long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs)?interact with particular histone modifications. Their method, called Chrom-seq, doesn’t require highly pure antibodies or crosslinking, making it less expensive and more specific. ?
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While many know that?serotonin impacts mood and emotions, a smattering of studies have found that this neurotransmitter can modify histones and regulate gene expression. Now, fascinating new research reveals that histone serotonylation contributes to the regulation of aggressive brain tumors, playing a role in the complex interactions taking place between?neuron–tumor?signaling,?epigenetics, and developmental programs.
Keeping up With Epigenetic Clocks: PRC2-AgeIndex Measures Gains of DNA Methylation Across the Genome
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While it may seem like it’s harder to keep up with epigenetic clocks than with?the Kardashians, this is one you’re not going to want to miss. Many?epigenetic clocks?people use to assess aging are built on the?DNA methylation?status of a few CpGs, and it’s unclear how these sites are related to aging. Now, a punctual team reports on the PRC2-AgeIndex, a genome-wide marker of gain-of-methylation at?CpGs?that could monitor aging and the effects of fountain-of-youth anti-aging treatments. ?
Finding informative epigenetic targets in the genome is no easy task; however,?cleverly composed?studies?previously reported?on the discovery of?correlated regions of systemic interindividual variation?(or CoRSIVs) in humans – DNA methylation patterns that vary between individuals but remain consistent across tissues. Now, this talented team sets its sights on understanding this level of epigenetic variation in cattle to improve livestock farming output. Have they hit a DNA methylation bullseye?
New to the field and want to get up to speed quick? Take a dive into the Learning Center which contains tons of epigenetics background information, profiles of key epigenetic readers, writers, and erasers, plus a useful an ever expanding compilation of useful tools and databases. Check out these highlighted articles:?
Key Epigenetic Players:?Check out our overview of the key epigenetic modifications that play a big role in gene regulation, development, and disease, as well as the proteins that are responsible for reading, writing, and erasing the epigenome.
Epigenetics Tools and Databases:?Tools, where would humankind be without them? The EpiGenie team decided to search out and compile a list of the best tools and databases that epigenetics researchers can’t live without.
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UPCOMING CONFERENCES
Epigenetics and Bioengineering (EpiBio-24)?| 03 OCT 2024
ASHG 2024?| 05 NOV 2024
Australasian Epigenetics Alliance (AEpiA) 2024?| 02 DEC 2024
Click?here?to see more upcoming conferences