Shaping the human brain: evolutionary cis-regulatory plasticity drives changes in synaptic activity-controlled adaptive gene expression
Neuronal activity-induced gene expression programs involved in synaptic structure- and plasticity-related functions are similar in mice and humans, yet bear distinct features. These include gains or losses of activity-responsiveness of certain genes and differences in gene induction profiles. Here,...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
16 May 2019
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| In: |
Current opinion in neurobiology
Year: 2019, Volume: 59, Pages: 34-40 |
| ISSN: | 1873-6882 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.conb.2019.04.003 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conb.2019.04.003 Verlag: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959438819300273 
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| Author Notes: | Priit Pruunsild, Hilmar Bading |
| Summary: | Neuronal activity-induced gene expression programs involved in synaptic structure- and plasticity-related functions are similar in mice and humans, yet bear distinct features. These include gains or losses of activity-responsiveness of certain genes and differences in gene induction profiles. Here, we discuss a possible origin of dissimilarities in activity-regulated transcription between species. We highlight that while synapse-to-nucleus signalling pathways are evolutionarily conserved, cis-regulatory plasticity has been driving species-specific remodelling of the activity-controlled enhancer landscape, thereby affecting gene regulation. In particular, evolutionary rearrangements of transcription factor binding site placements together with potential species-dependent developmental stage- and/or cell type-specific epigenetic and other trans-acting mechanisms are most likely at least in part accountable for between-species diversity in activity-regulated transcription. It is conceivable that cis-regulatory plasticity may have equipped the synaptic activity-driven adaptive gene program in human neurons with unique, species-specific qualities. |
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| Item Description: | Gesehen am 21.01.2020 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1873-6882 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.conb.2019.04.003 |