Tag Archives: histones

Epigenetics ‘leaks’ into trans-generational inheritance

News: Epigenetics    March 11, 2013
One of the bigger and most important ‘debates’ in biology – both now and in the past – is whether adaptations made for the environment of a single individual can be inherited by its offspring. This is not about genetic inheritance, mutation, and the reproduction of the genes in DNA. This is about epigenetics, the [...]
Posted in News: Epigenetics | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments closed

Gene expression and regulation: It’s the location, baby.

News: DNA Decoding    March 1, 2013
Perhaps it is something like the real-estate business. What three things make a difference for selling a house? Location, location and location. Thus it may be for at least some of the crucial genes involved in the development of the human embryo. Specifically, researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (Heidelberg, Germany) found that the [...]
Posted in News: DNA Decoding | Also tagged , , , , , , | Comments closed

Epigenetic memory: Another path for genetic inheritance

News: Epigenetics    July 29, 2011
As we have all been schooled, DNA determines what is inherited. If it isn’t encoded in the genes, it won’t be passed on. Except it is becoming ever more apparent this isn’t completely true. There is another way that characteristics can be passed to the next generations; it’s called epigenetic memory. Or at least it’s [...]
Posted in News: Epigenetics | Also tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Hoogsteen base pairs: An alternate structure in DNA

Impact: DNA Decoding    February 2, 2011
Reverse Hoogsteen base pairing…..Wikipedia Commons I know some of my biases. One of them is knee-jerk skepticism about taking little-tested scientific results and blowing them up to “…a cure for cancer” or “…revolutionize the electronics industry.” However, like most people I also have a bias to be curious about interesting, if somewhat unusual scientific findings. [...]
Posted in Impact: DNA Decoding | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Histones: DNA packaging and much more

Impact: DNA Decoding    October 15, 2010
DNA winds around histones….Credit: Max Planck Society Most everybody knows that DNA is the carrier of the genetic code, the instructions for how life reproduces, grows, and maintains. Cell biologists have long known that DNA comes with a very complex packaging material, proteins called histones, which help the 2 meter (6 foot) strand of DNA [...]
Posted in Impact: DNA Decoding | Also tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Small steps toward understanding the epigenome

Impact: Cell Biology    May 13, 2010
“You can think of it this way,” said Ren. “Neurons and skin cells share the identical set of genetic material – DNA – yet their structure and function are very different. The difference can be attributed to differences in their epigenome. This is analogous to computer hardware and software. You can load the same computer [...]
Posted in Impact: Cell Biology | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment