January 2017 | What is Epigenetics?

High Estrogen Levels Might Protect Women From a Traumatic Event

High Estrogen Levels Might Epigenetically Protect Women From a Traumatic Event

January 31, 2017 Bailey Kirkpatrick

Whether a woman’s estrogen level is high or low could determine if she may be susceptible to developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to recent research. Estrogen has been found to epigenetically change gene activity in the brain and could even protect a woman from emotional numbness, flashbacks, and difficulty sleeping – all symptoms of PTSD – after a shocking or traumatic situation. Researchers analyzed an epigenetic mark called DNA methylation, which is known to turn genes off. They used [more…]

High Fat, Low Carb Diet Might Epigenetically Open Up DNA and Improve Mental Ability

January 24, 2017 Bailey Kirkpatrick

Could eating less carbohydrates and more fat relax DNA and boost mental function? Researchers found that a ketogenic diet – consuming high amounts of fat, adequate protein, and low carbohydrates – increases an epigenetic agent naturally produced by the body. This, in turn, may improve memory defects and bolster the growth and development of nervous tissue. In a study published in PNAS, researchers looked at mice with a genetic alteration similar to one found in humans who suffer from a [more…]

Demethylating Agent May Boost Chemotherapy Effectiveness for Specific Type of Childhood Leukemia

January 16, 2017 Natalie Crowley

Fifty years ago, a child diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common type of pediatric cancer, had little to no chance of survival. Today, those odds have increased dramatically thanks to tremendous advances in chemotherapy and other treatments. Cure rates for this type of leukemia can reach as high as 90 percent. Yet, there is one subgroup of pediatric ALL that is still very therapy resistant, T-Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (T-ALL). T-ALL is an uncommon, though aggressive, subclass of [more…]

The Epigenetics of Honeybee Memory Offers a Glimpse Into Our Own Minds

January 10, 2017 Bailey Kirkpatrick

The fascinating memory of a honeybee could give us hints about our own long-term memory formation, scientists suggest. According to a new study, epigenetic marks are added to the DNA of honeybees in a response to an enzyme known as DNA methyltransferase (Dmnt) and removed in response to a Dnmt inhibitor drug. This epigenetic mechanism may play a role in memory specificity and influence the removal and re-acquisition of memory. When human memory breaks down or fails, disorders such as [more…]

Eukaryotic Writers, Erasers and Readers protein of Histone Acetylation and Methylation system Database

Introducing WERAM: Find Integrated Info on Your Histone Regulator in Your Favorite Species

January 5, 2017 Blanca Valle

Recently Dr. Yu Xue’s group, at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, developed a database designated as Eukaryotic Writers, Erasers and Readers protein of Histone Acetylation and Methylation system Database (WERAM). WERAM is a comprehensive database containing integrated information on the writers, erasers, and readers of histone acetylation and methylation. Namely writers are the enzymes that catalyze acetylation and methylation, the erasers are the enzymes that remove these marks, and the readers are proteins that recognize and interact [more…]

How Understanding an Individual’s Epigenetics Can Help Measure and Treat Addiction

January 3, 2017 WhatIsEpigenetics

For a long time humans have wondered if chemicals causing drug and alcohol addiction could be active in the genes and potentially passed on to the next generation. Although this was not scientifically proven until recent years, the fear of suffering from addictive diseases led children of addicts and former addicts to avoid alcohol and drugs completely. One of the scientific studies that give weight to this family history hypothesis on addiction was conducted at the Indiana University School of [more…]

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