In research that aims to illuminate the causes of human developmental disorders, Professor Joseph Ecker, first author Yupeng He, and colleagues have generated 168 new maps of chemical marks on strands of DNA—called methylation—in developing mice. The data can help narrow down regions of the human genome that play roles in diseases such as schizophrenia and Rett syndrome.
Genetics
Genes & Development
06/2020
How cells solve their identity crisis
Cancer is often the result of DNA mutations or problems with how cells divide, which can lead to cells “forgetting” what type of cell they are or how to function properly. Professor and VP/CSO Martin Hetzer, first author Hyeseon Kang, Assistant Professor Jesse Dixon and colleagues have now provided clarity into how new cells remember their identity after cell division. These memory mechanisms could explicate problems that occur when cell identity is not maintained, such as cancer.
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