Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026

Induction of Protein Deletion Through In Utero Electroporation to Define Deficits in Neuronal Migration in Transgenic Models
Published on: January 12, 2015
Birth and adaptive evolution of a hominoid gene that supports high neurotransmitter flux
Fabien Burki1, Henrik Kaessmann
1Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, BEP, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Abstract:
The enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) is important for recycling the chief excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate, during neurotransmission. Human GDH exists in housekeeping and brain-specific isotypes encoded by the genes GLUD1 and GLUD2, respectively. Here we show that GLUD2 originated by retroposition from GLUD1 in the hominoid ancestor less than 23 million years ago. The amino acid changes responsible for the unique brain-specific properties of the enzyme derived from GLUD2 occurred during a period of positive selection after the duplication event.
More Related Videos
05:00Transplantation of Human Stem Cell-Derived GABAergic Neurons into the Early Postnatal Mouse Hippocampus to Mitigate Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Published on: November 11, 2022
04:17Time-Lapse Imaging of Migrating Neurons and Glial Progenitors in Embryonic Mouse Brain Slices
Published on: March 8, 2024
Related Concept Videos
Gene Duplication and Divergence
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are characterized.
Exon Recombination
Exon shuffling follows “splice frame rules.” Each exon has three reading...
Neurotransmitters
Human Genetics
The complex relationship between genetics and psychology is observable through common biological components such...
Evolution of New Traits in Microbes