Single-cell multiplex chromatin and RNA interactions in ageing human brain. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38538789/)

These scientists wanted to understand how our DNA is organized inside our cells and how it affects the way our cells work. They used a special technique called MUSIC to study this.

First, they collected samples from the brain of older people. Then, they looked at individual cells in these samples to see how the DNA inside them was arranged. They found that cells with certain patterns of DNA organization were more likely to have signs of aging and Alzheimer's disease.

They also discovered that different types of cells in the brain have specific ways in which their DNA interacts with other parts of the DNA. For example, they found that in female cells, a certain type of RNA called XIST interacts with a specific chromosome in different ways.

Overall, this study helped the scientists learn more about how our DNA is organized in our cells and how it can affect our health as we get older.

Wen X., Luo Z., Zhao W., Calandrelli R., Nguyen TC., Wan X., Charles Richard JL., Zhong S. Single-cell multiplex chromatin and RNA interactions in ageing human brain. Nature. 2024 Mar 27. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07239-w.