Data to publish. - (Mar/01/2009 )

Hey guys,
I am new on epigenetic field and I have a question.
I am working with expression of a particular gene of liver differentiation.
I found (by RT-PCR and qRT-PCR) that its expression begins during the liver differentiation and keeps steady in adult hepatocytes.
I also found (by BSP) that the DNA methylation profile of its promoter changes during differentiaton, were the CpG islands becomes severely unmethylated.

I friend of mine of epigenetic field told me that I can publish this work with only this data. The history would be something like: Expression of gene xx during liver differentiation in humans is followed by changes in the methylation profile of CpG islands on its promoter.

Do you guys think I can publish this work with such results??
Which kind of controls of BSP must I add to this work??

Your opinion would be very apreciated!

Thanks,
Dvd

I think your observation is quite interesting and publishable, especially if nobody has worked on your gene.

pcrman on Mar 1 2009, 10:17 AM said:

Thank you pcrman.
Do you have any ideia why this topic was moved?

Wherever,
I am just worried because I would have 3 figures: 1. cell differentiation; 2. qRT-PCR and 3. BSP. Is that enough?
In BSP, should I add any control?

Thank you again.
Dvd

If three figures is a good number if they show the important details. Some journals have a limit on how many figures can be included in a manuscript. I recently had to scrap a lot that I intended to include in a manuscript!

You're going to need controls to show that this observation is an attribute of your "particular gene of liver differentiation", and not something global, seen for example in all liver genes...

HomeBrew on Mar 1 2009, 06:52 PM said:

Ok,
But my argument is that liver differentiation is followed by unmethylation of my particular gene and not caused by unmethylation of my particular gene. Does it makes sense?? It`s gona by difficult to check the methylation profile os all genes involved in liver differentiation.

Thanks

You're more familiar with your work than I am -- I work with bacteria. But, if you're going to say your particular gene is unmethylated after liver differentation, won't you have to have some control showing that it's, well, your gene in particular that undergoes this, and not others? Is the point more broad -- that unmethylation occurs after differentiation -- or is it that it happens specifically to your gene?

Ok,
I got your point.

unfurtnatly, there is no way for me to check the methylation profile of all the genes known to have a role in the differentiation. Maybe I could choose 2 or 3 and see what happens. What do ou think?

And Thnaks again.

I think it would be enough if you could show that 3 other genes are not unmethylated.
I don't know your field. Try to take the most important genes.

dvddecarvalho on Mar 1 2009, 08:14 AM said:

hi,

I don't think this data can be published yet. (you can publish almost anything somewhere, but you would want to sell you data as well as you can).

the reason for this is, that it sounds like you have only one figure at the moment:

a gene changes expression with differentiation (RT-PCR) which is due to demethylation of it's promoter.

many genes are known to be regulated by methylation of their promoters, so in order to make a story out of this you need mechanism.

1) what causes the activation of this gene?
2) what does this gene do? / why isn't this gene usually on?
3) is this gene important in the process of differentiation?