Research Associate (Fixed Term)

We seek a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to join the laboratory of Professor Kathy Niakan. We are based in the Loke Centre for Trophoblast Research (LCTR), in the Department of Physi...

cam.ac.uk

Conserved and divergent DNA methylation features of extraembryonic tissues between human, mouse and chicken - BMC Genomics

Background The first cell fate decisions in embryogenesis give rise to extraembryonic tissues, such as the yolk sac and placenta, which are essential for embryo survival. In mammals, extraembryonic cell types arising from these first lineage decisions show distinct DNA methylation patterning, including large partially methylated domains, gene body methylation and accumulation across developmental CpG island (CGI) promoters. Analysis of extraembryonic membranes beyond mammalian species has been limited. Using bisulphite-seq and RNA-seq, we comparatively define these epigenetic characteristics of extraembryonic tissues in both mouse and human. We then tested whether these features are conserved in the chicken extraembryonic membranes (EEMs) including the yolk sac, chorion and chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). Results Transcriptomic analysis revealed that embryonic day (E)4 yolk sac/chorion and E14 CAM express similar marker genes to the mouse chorionic trophoblast, supporting that the chicken chorionic ectoderm shares a ‘trophoblast-like’ cell identity. We find that partially methylated domains and transcription-linked gene body methylation patterning are highly conserved between mouse and human proliferative multipotent trophoblast cells but were not evident in the chicken EEMs. However, we find that methylation of CGIs associated with developmental genes was a conserved feature of mouse, human and chicken EEMs. Conclusions These findings support that features of the extraembryonic DNA methylation landscape have distinct underlying mechanisms. We find that only one feature is conserved across extant amniotes, suggesting distinct evolutionary pressures are associated with different features of EEM epigenetic landscape.

tinyurl.com

An interview with Azim Surani

Professor Azim Surani is the Director of Epigenomics and Germline Imprinting at the Gurdon Institute in Cambridge, UK. He is this year's recipient of both the prestigious Kyoto Prize and the Paul Ehrl...

journals.biologists.com

The mini placentas and ovaries revealing the basics of women’s health

Lab-made organoids that mimic reproductive tissues could point to treatments for common conditions such as pre-eclampsia and endometriosis.

nature.com

Epigenetic relay: Polycomb-directed DNA methylation in mammalian development

In mammals, repression of germline-specific gene expression is essential for preserving somatic cell identity and preventing disease. Germline gene silencing is often dependent on the presence of prom...

journals.plos.org

Why would anyone want to be a scientist?

It is difficult to fathom why anyone intelligent enough to be a scientist would actually choose to be one. Doing good science requires the utmost exertion of body, mind and spirit, yet is consistently...

journals.biologists.com

Divergent DNA methylation dynamics in marsupial and eutherian embryos - Nature

A study reports on the DNA methylation dynamics during embryogenesis in marsupials, showing that these differ from those occurring during embryogenesis in eutherian mammals.

nature.com

YEN 2025 Conference: Registration is open! - the Node

Register now for the Young Embryologist Network meeting - Monday 19 May 2025 at the Francis Crick Institute. Are you an early career researcher in

thenode.biologists.com

Postdoctoral Research Associate - QMUL Jobs

ID: 4897. Title: Postdoctoral Research Associate . Application Deadline:

qmul-jobs.tal.net

Ectopic expression of DNMT3L in human trophoblast stem cells restores features of the placental methylome

The placental DNA methylation landscape is unique, with widespread partially methylated domains (PMDs). The placental “methylome” is conserved across …

tinyurl.com