Alexander Meissner

Dec 4, 2024 | nature.com | Tim Hasenbein |Sarah Hoelzl |Zachary Smith |Chiara Gerhardinger |Oana Amarie |Lore Becker | +9 more

AbstractThe lncRNA Crossfirre was identified as an imprinted X-linked gene, and is transcribed antisense to the trans-acting lncRNA Firre. The Firre locus forms an inactive-X-specific interaction with Dxz4, both loci providing the platform for the largest conserved chromatin structures. Here, we characterize the epigenetic profile of these loci, revealing them as the most female-specific accessible regions genome-wide.

Aug 12, 2024 | nature.com | Zachary Smith |Sara Hetzel |Alexander Meissner

AbstractThe DNA methylation field has matured from a phase of discovery and genomic characterization to one seeking deeper functional understanding of how this modification contributes to development, ageing and disease. In particular, the past decade has seen many exciting mechanistic discoveries that have substantially expanded our appreciation for how this generic, evolutionarily ancient modification can be incorporated into robust epigenetic codes.