ERNST LAB

Epigenetic processes result in heritable changes in gene expression without changes in DNA sequence. DNA methylation-the most studied epigenetic modification to DNA-involves the enzymatic addition of a methyl group to cytosine bases in DNA, and in mammals occurs almost exclusively at CpG dinucleotides. CpG methylation at proximal and distal gene regulatory regions-including promoters, enhancers, and insulators-is strongly associated with transcription, and as such has been shown to play important roles in tissue-specific gene expression, early development, and genomic imprinting. DNA methylation patterns in mammals are also heavily influenced by environmental perturbations; aberrant DNA methylation in response to stressors has been associated with adverse life outcomes. The Ernst lab is currently using Whole-Genome Bisulfite Sequencing (WGBS) to assess DNA methylation patterns across a diverse set of adult and fetal pig tissues as a means to identify novel sites of transcriptional..