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Updated: Jun 9, 2025

Induction of Protein Deletion Through In Utero Electroporation to Define Deficits in Neuronal Migration in Transgenic Models
Published on: January 12, 2015
Genomic insights into genes expressed specifically during infancy highlight their dominant influence on the neuronal
Weidi Wang1, Zhe Liu1, Daihui Peng1
1Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China.
Background:
Elucidating the dynamics of gene expression across developmental stages, including the genomic characteristics of brain expression during infancy, is pivotal in deciphering human psychiatric and neurological disorders and providing insights into developmental disorders.
Results:
Leveraging comprehensive human GWAS associations with temporal and spatial brain expression data, we discovered a distinctive co-expression cluster comprising 897 genes highly expressed specifically during infancy, enriched in functions related to the neuronal system. This gene cluster notably harbors the highest ratio of genes linked to psychiatric and neurological disorders. Through computational analysis, MYT1L emerged as a potential central transcription factor governing these genes. Remarkably, the infancy-specific expressed genes, including SYT1, exhibit prominent colocalization within human accelerated regions. Additionally, chromatin state analysis unveiled prevalent epigenetic markers associated with enhancer-specific modifications. In addition, this cluster of genes has demonstrated to be specifically highly expressed in cell-types including excitatory neurons, medial ganglionic eminence and caudal ganglionic eminence.
Conclusions:
This study comprehensively characterizes the genomics and epigenomics of genes specifically expressed during infancy, identifying crucial hub genes and transcription factors. These findings offer valuable insights into early detection strategies and interventions for psychiatric and neurological disorders.
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