Damir Baranasic

Abstract Across invertebrates, DNA methylation is largely restricted to the bodies of highly and constitutively expressed genes. This pattern has led to the widespread hypothesis that gene body methylation regulates gene expression and contributes to environmental adaptation and developmental plasticity, often by analogy to its roles in vertebrate genomes.

Abstract Weight loss significantly improves metabolic and cardiovascular health in people with obesity1,2,3. The remodelling of adipose tissue (AT) is central to these varied and important clinical effects4. However, surprisingly little is known about the underlying mechanisms, presenting a barrier to treatment advances.

Abstract Developmental gene expression is a remarkably conserved process, yet most cis-regulatory elements (CREs) lack sequence conservation, especially at larger evolutionary distances. Some evidence suggests that CREs at the same genomic position remain functionally conserved independent of sequence conservation. However, the extent of such positional conservation remains unclear.