Discoveries
Researchers create first atlas of brain gene regulators
Think of it as a diagram of the genetic "switchboard" that determines how portions of the brain develop or, in some cases, misdevelop.
Scientists at Dana-Farber have compiled the first atlas showing the locations of crucial gene regulators guiding brain development. The researchers, led by Quifu Ma, PhD, and Charles Stiles, PhD, say the project will aid research on brain tumors and neurological diseases that result from malfunctions in these switch genes, called "transcription factors." When such abnormalities, or mutations, occur, certain target genes can become under- or overactive, causing developmental problems in nerves and related structures.
Although the genetic regulators were pinpointed using mouse brains, the guide applies to the human brain as well. "This is the first systematic mapping of all the major brain areas that shows which regulatory genes are expressed in specific locations," Ma says. He and his DFCI colleagues have already homed in on specific regulators for nerves involved in pain sensation, certain brain tumors, and speech problems caused by abnormal neurons that control the muscles of the tongue.
