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Involvement of transposable elements in neurogenesis.
R N Mustafin1, E K Khusnutdinova2
1Bashkir State Medical University, Ufa, Russia.
Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genetiki I Selektsii
|March 4, 2021
Summary
Transposons, or mobile genetic elements, regulate human brain development and neuron function by controlling gene expression and producing regulatory RNAs. Their activity in the hippocampus is crucial for neurogenesis and memory formation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Transposable elements (TEs) play a critical role in embryonic development by regulating cell-type-specific gene expression.
- Neuronal stem cell differentiation requires precise gene expression tuning, particularly in brain regions like the hippocampus, a center for neurogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the role of transposons in regulating neuronal stem cells and mature neurons in the human brain.
- To investigate the contribution of transposons to neurogenesis, epigenetic regulation, and memory formation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of transposon activity in the human hippocampus and experimental animal models.
- Identification and characterization of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) derived from transposons.
- Investigation of the role of endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) and their proteins in neuronal communication.
Main Results:
- High transposon activity observed in the hippocampus, leading to somatic mosaicism during brain structure formation.
- TEs are significant sources of lncRNAs co-expressed with brain protein-coding genes, with notable activity in the hippocampus.
- Transposon-derived miRNAs and lncRNAs are involved in the epigenetic regulation of neuronal differentiation.
- Evolutionary emergence of protein-coding genes through TE exonization, duplication, and domestication, integrating them into TE-based epigenetic networks.
- Evidence suggests virus-like mRNA exchange between neurons via HERV-derived Arc protein, potentially involving reverse transcription and genomic insertion for memory regulation.
Conclusions:
- Transposons are integral to the epigenetic regulation of neuronal differentiation and brain function.
- TE-derived regulatory RNAs and proteins contribute to neurogenesis, brain plasticity, and memory mechanisms.
- The dynamic activity of TEs underscores their fundamental role in human brain evolution and function.
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