DNA Methylation News and Research

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DNA methylation is a type of chemical modification of DNA that can be inherited and subsequently removed without changing the original DNA sequence. As such, it is part of the epigenetic code and is also the most well characterized epigenetic mechanism.

Lung tissue analysis reveals promising molecular target to ameliorate pulmonary fibrosis

An analysis of lung tissues from patients with different types of pulmonary fibrosis - including cases triggered by COVID-19 - has revealed a promising molecular target to ameliorate the chronic and irreversible disease.

5 Dec 2020

TB researchers uncover crucial clue that explains antibiotic resistance in bacteria

For a slow-growing microbe that multiplies infrequently, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the pathogen that causes tuberculosis (TB) has long puzzled researchers as to how it develops resistance to antibiotics so quickly, in a matter of weeks to months.

18 Nov 2020

Researchers use single-cell analysis to assess effects of aging on mice’s egg cells

Using the power of single-cell analysis, researchers at the Babraham Institute have assessed the effects of age on egg cells (oocytes) in mice, particularly looking to identify genomic and epigenetic factors that relate to reduced developmental competence.

18 Nov 2020

Accelerated biological aging not a risk factor for severe COVID-19, say researchers

A new study conducted by researchers at RWTH Aachen University in Germany has found no evidence to support the hypothesis that severe outcomes in cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be linked to accelerated biological aging.

17 Nov 2020

Study indicates the role of Polβ enzyme in cognitive development

It's a fact of life that things break down. And when they do, whether it's your car, the roof, or a blocked artery, there are people who we can call to help with the repairs.

11 Nov 2020

Consumption of tree nuts impacts sperm DNA methylation

Many environmental and lifestyle factors have been implicated in the decline of sperm quality, with diet being one of the most plausible factors identified in recent years.

9 Nov 2020

Improved diet and more physical activity during pregnancy modifies infants’ DNA

A new study has shown pregnant women with obesity could reduce the health risks for their infants through improved diet and more physical activity.

6 Nov 2020

Inflammasome may play a key role in triggering immune response to cancer

The inflammasome — a protein signaling network that is activated to rid the body of virus or bacteria-infected cells — may play an important role in triggering an immune response to cancer and causing an existing class of drugs to work better against cancers.

27 Oct 2020

Distinct DNA methylation signature found in the cord blood of newborns diagnosed with ASD

A new study led by UC Davis MIND Institute researchers found a distinct DNA methylation signature in the cord blood of newborns who were eventually diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

22 Oct 2020

Scientists develop a way to accurately detect and monitor common pediatric brain cancer

A team of scientists at Texas A&M University, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital have developed a way to more accurately both detect and monitor a common type of pediatric brain cancer, setting the stage for giving clinicians a real-time view into how the cancer responds to treatment.

21 Oct 2020

Researchers find distinct effects of adversity in the genomes of men than women born preterm

Researchers at McMaster University have found distinct effects of adversity early in life in the genomes of men compared to women who were born extremely preterm.

21 Oct 2020

Valproic acid can interact with DNA conformation and regulate gene expression

Results of recent studies involving valproic acid, used for decades as an anti-convulsant drug, show that it can interact with the conformation of DNA and regulate gene expression.

29 Sep 2020

Study indicates an ancient explanation on link between humans and long-lived primate

Many humans live to see their 70s and 80s, some even reach 100 years old. But life is much shorter for our closest animal relatives. Chimpanzees, for example, rarely make it past age 50, despite sharing almost 99% of our genetic code.

21 Sep 2020

Researchers identify biomarkers that predict patient’s response to metformin treatment

Metformin is the first-line drug that can lower blood sugar levels in type 2 diabetes patients. One third of patients do not respond to metformin treatment and 5 per cent experience serious side effects, which is the reason many choose to stop medicating.

18 Sep 2020

Early epigenetic changes can be detected in patients before the diagnosis of diabetes

Epigenetic changes in the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas can be detected in patients several years before the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes (T2D).

10 Sep 2020

Gestational diabetes may have long-term effects on epigenetic aging in offspring

Children born to mothers who had diabetes during pregnancy may age faster biologically and be at an increased risk for obesity and high blood pressure, according to Rutgers researchers.

10 Sep 2020

Two researchers from Bielefeld University receive ERC Starting Grants

The European Research Council has awarded ERC Starting Grants to two researchers from Bielefeld University.

5 Sep 2020

Advances in Virus Epigenetics

Growing evidence shows viruses exploit epigenetic processes to control their life cycles but epigentic regulation of viral infections is not fully understood.

From Chromatrap® - Porvair Sciences Ltd 25 Aug 2020

Adaptions to aging may be impacted by genetic background

How we adapt to aging late in life may be genetically influenced, according to a study led by a psychologist at the University of California, Riverside.

19 Aug 2020

Researchers develop a deep learning-based algorithm for predicting sites of DNA methylation

A team of researchers from New Jersey Institute of Technology and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have developed an algorithm through machine learning that helps predict sites of DNA methylation - a process that can change the activity of DNA without changing its overall structure - and could identify disease-causing mechanisms that would otherwise be missed by conventional screening methods.

6 Aug 2020