Article
Genetics & Heredity
Adi Alajem, Hava Roth, Sofia Ratgauzer, Danny Bavli, Alex Motzik, Shlomtzion Lahav, Itay Peled, Oren Ram
Summary: Enhancers play a crucial role in gene regulation by increasing the likelihood of gene transcription, and are marked by histone modifications H3K4me1 and H3K27ac. DNA methylation on enhancers has traditionally been associated with repression. This study combined histone marks and DNA methylation to show that H3K4me1-marked enhancers have higher levels of methylation compared to H3K27ac-marked enhancers during mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation, indicating cellular heterogeneity in enhancer states. The enhancers identified in this study are involved in stem cell differentiation and show variation in gene expression levels, highlighting the functional relevance of enhancer-based heterogeneity in cellular dynamics.
Article
Developmental Biology
Jessica Ispada, Aldcejam Martins da Fonseca Junior, Otavio Luiz Ramos Santos, Camila Bruna de Lima, Erika Cristina dos Santos, Vinicius Lourenco da Silva, Fernanda Nascimento Almeida, Saul de Castro Leite, Pablo Juan Ross, Marcella Pecora Milazzotto
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between metabolic differences and histone post-translational modifications in bovine embryos, finding distinct patterns of H3K9ac and H3K9me3 between embryos with different development kinetics. The differences in H3K9ac were explained by metabolic pathways influencing acetyl-CoA production.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Carolin Czauderna, Alicia Poplawski, Colm J. O'Rourke, Darko Castven, Benjamin Perez-Aguilar, Diana Becker, Stephanie Heilmann-Heimbach, Margarete Odenthal, Wafa Amer, Marcel Schmiel, Uta Drebber, Harald Binder, Dirk A. Ridder, Mario Schindeldecker, Beate K. Straub, Peter R. Galle, Jesper B. Andersen, Snorri S. Thorgeirsson, Young Nyun Park, Jens U. Marquardt
Summary: The study revealed epigenetic alterations at different stages of primary liver cancer through genome-wide methylome and transcriptome analyses. Integrative molecular changes were identified, involving apoptosis, immune regulation, and stemness pathways in early HCC, while late changes focused on cell survival, proliferation, and invasion. The findings provide potential therapeutic targets for novel approaches in treating liver cancer.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Lijing Shi, Yanhui Zhai, Yuanshen Zhao, Xiangjie Kong, Daoyu Zhang, Hao Yu, Ziyi Li
Summary: The effects of ELF4 on porcine embryonic development are not well understood, but knocking down ELF4 was shown to decrease the developmental competency and blastocyst quality of embryos while inducing DNA damage at the 4-cell stage. ELF4 affects pig embryo development by maintaining genome integrity and regulating epigenetic modifications, as well as activating Zygotic gene activation-related genes.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Yuting Fu, Fangyuan Liu, Shuo Cao, Jia Zhang, Huizhi Wang, Baojiang Wu, Yongli Song, Shuguang Duo, Xihe Li, Siqin Bao
Summary: This study reveals that Bdh2 deficiency has no impact on pluripotency and self-renewal of ESCs, but promotes endoderm differentiation and is essential for maintaining DNA methylation.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lulu Hu, Shun Liu, Yong Peng, Ruiqi Ge, Rui Su, Chamara Senevirathne, Bryan T. Harada, Qing Dai, Jiangbo Wei, Lisheng Zhang, Ziyang Hao, Liangzhi Luo, Huanyu Wang, Yuru Wang, Minkui Luo, Mengjie Chen, Jianjun Chen, Chuan He
Summary: In this study, the researchers introduced a new method called m(6)A-SAC-seq, which allows for quantitative analysis of m(6)A modification in the entire transcriptome. They found numerous dynamically changing m(6)A sites during cell differentiation, highlighting the importance of studying the dynamics and functional roles of m(6)A in various biological processes.
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Hematology
Thomas Milan, Magalie Celton, Karine Lagace, Elodie Roques, Safia Safa-Tahar-Henni, Eva Bresson, Anne Bergeron, Josee Hebert, Soheil Meshinchi, Sonia Cellot, Frederic Barabe, Brian T. Wilhelm
Summary: Chromosomal translocations involving the KMT2A gene are common in pediatric acute myeloid leukemias. This study investigated the molecular mechanisms of the disease using a human model system. It found that changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin accessibility, as well as expression changes, are associated with leukemic transformation. The study also identified a potential essential gene and signaling pathway involved in leukemogenesis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Julia Arand, H. Rosaria Chiang, David Martin, Michael P. Snyder, Julien Sage, Renee A. Reijo Pera, Mark Wossidlo
Summary: Tet enzymes play crucial roles in mouse embryonic development, with Tet2 deficiency showing the most severe phenotype. They function in the consecutive oxidation of 5-methylcytosine to 5-carboxylcytosine, necessary for embryonic genome activation and expression of transposable elements.
Review
Immunology
Hong Liu, Jie Zheng, Aihua Liao
Summary: The immune microenvironment at the maternal-fetal interface, regulated by the trophoblast and maternal-derived cells, plays a crucial role in early pregnancy. Dysfunctions in these cells can lead to pregnancy complications. RNA methylation, particularly N6-methyladenosine (m6A), appears to be an important factor in embryogenesis and immune response. However, the function of m6A modifications at the maternal-fetal interface is still poorly understood. Therefore, exploring the potential value of m6A modifications in early pregnancy is essential for identifying novel therapeutic targets.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Odei Barrenada, Eduardo Larriba, Daniel Fernandez-Perez, Miguel angel Brieno-Enriquez, Jesus del Mazo Martinez
Summary: Recent studies have shown that mitochondrial small noncoding RNAs (sncRNAs) play important roles in germ cell development and differentiation. By analyzing sequencing data, we identified the origins, expression levels, and potential functions of piRNAs, as well as their association with other sncRNAs and the mitochondrial regulatory region. Our findings suggest that mitochondria-associated piRNAs may mediate nucleo-mitochondrial communication.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qi Qi, Qianqian Wang, Kailing Liu, Jiangyue Bian, Zhixuan Yu, Jian Hou
Summary: Tet dioxygenases can induce DNA demethylation and play important roles in mammalian development. Overexpression of Tet1 and Tet2 can alter the methylation landscape of zygotes and impair embryonic development.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Patricia Gerdes, Dorothy Chan, Mischa Lundberg, Francisco J. Sanchez-Luque, Gabriela O. Bodea, Adam D. Ewing, Geoffrey J. Faulkner, Sandra R. Richardson
Summary: Mice harbor multiple intact copies of the retrotransposon L1, and the retrotransposition capacity of L1 is influenced by its sequence integrity and epigenetic status. Promoter monomer loss attenuates the retrotransposition potential of L1 insertions, and most L1 pairs are efficiently methylated during differentiation. The study provides insights into the interplay between epigenetic repression, L1 evolution, and genome stability.
Review
Developmental Biology
Marc-Andre Sirard
Summary: In the field of animal reproduction, the environment surrounding gametes and embryos, influenced by parental condition, has a significant impact on the functional and phenotypic development of offspring. Recent research using the bovine model has shown that both male and female metabolic status, such as age, can affect gene expression in embryos. It has been observed that cows losing weight at conception produce compromised embryos and offspring with unique metabolic signatures. Further studies are required to understand the long-term consequences of these molecular changes in embryos.
REPRODUCTION FERTILITY AND DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Tao Li, Huihui Wang, Yaxin Zhang, Huiyuan Wang, Zeyu Zhang, Xuqing Liu, Zekun Zhang, Kai Liu, Deming Yang, Hangxiao Zhang, Lianfeng Gu
Summary: This study examines the cellular processes and epigenetic mechanisms underlying the fast growth of Moso bamboo shoots. The results show that internode cells elongate and lignin biosynthesis and GT43 gene expression are upregulated with shoot height. Additionally, differences in N-6-methyladenine (m(6)A) modification rate, DNA methylation levels, and poly(A) tail lengths are observed between shoots of different heights. The findings provide valuable insights into the post-transcriptional regulations responsible for the fast growth of Moso bamboo shoots.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jahnavi Sharma, Roshani Kumari, Arpit Bhargava, Rajnarayan Tiwari, Pradyumna K. Mishra
Summary: Mitochondria, maternally inherited semi-autonomous organelles, play a central role in redox balance, energy metabolism, and cellular homeostasis. The intricate bidirectional molecular communication between mitochondria and the nucleus is crucial for proper mitochondrial function. Disruption of the reciprocal control between nuclear and mitochondrial signaling can lead to epigenomic imbalance affecting mitochondrial function and gene expressions.
CURRENT PHARMACEUTICAL DESIGN
(2021)