Squeezing Cells into Stem Cells
Scientists have developed a gel that boosts the ability of cell reprogramming into stem cells by “squeezing” them into shape with a 3D gel. The new technique can also be easily scaled up to produce stem cells for various applications on an industrial scale. [Press release from École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne discussing online prepublication in Nature Materials] Press Release|Abstract
Parallel Single-Cell Sequencing Links Transcriptional and Epigenetic Heterogeneity
Researchers report scM&T-seq, a method for parallel single-cell genome-wide methylome and transcriptome sequencing that allows for the discovery of associations between transcriptional and epigenetic variation. Profiling of 61 mouse embryonic stem cells confirmed known links between DNA methylation and transcription. [Nat Methods] Abstract
A Dual Role of Erk Signaling in Embryonic Stem Cells
The authors summarize recent progress in understanding the role of Erk signaling in pluripotency maintenance, discuss the dual role of Erk in mouse embryonic stem cells, and provide explanations for the conflicting data regarding Mek inhibition and Erk knockout. [Exp Hematol] Abstract
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Bitter Fight over CRISPR Patent Heats Up
A versatile technique for editing genomes has been called the biggest biotechnology advance since the polymerase chain reaction, and the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is set to determine who will reap the rewards. The USPTO granted a request to review a key patent awarded for the technique, known as CRISPR–Cas9. [Nature News] Editorial
Cashing in on Transparency in Science
Psychologist Brian Nosek believes that reproducibility is a core principle of science. To promote the idea, he co-founded a nonprofit organization in 2013 that allows scientists to publish a description of their experiments before they conduct them. [ScienceInsider] Editorial
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