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Hunt AD, Procyshyn TL. Changing perspectives on autism: Overlapping contributions of evolutionary psychiatry and the neurodiversity movement. Autism Res 2024; 17:459-466. [PMID: 38233966 DOI: 10.1002/aur.3078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Perspectives on autism and psychiatric conditions are affected by a mix of scientific and social influences. Evolutionary psychiatry (EP) and the neurodiversity movement are emerging paradigms that reflect these distinct influences, with the former grounded in scientific theory and the latter driven by political and social principles. Despite their separate foundations, there is a significant overlap between EP and neurodiversity that has not been explored. Specifically, both paradigms reframe disorders as natural cognitive differences rather than disease; expand the concept of "normal" beyond that implied in modern psychiatry; focus on relative strengths; recognize that modern environments disadvantage certain individuals to cause functional impairment; emphasize cognitive variation being socially accommodated and integrated rather than treated or cured; and can help reduce stigmatization. However, in other ways, they are distinct and sometimes in conflict. EP emphasizes scientific explanation, defines "dysfunction" in objective terms, and differentiates heterogenous cases based on underlying causes (e.g. autism due to de novo genetic mutations). The neurodiversity movement emphasizes social action, removes barriers to inclusion, promotes inclusive language, and allows unrestricted identification as neurodivergent. By comparing and contrasting these two approaches, we find that EP can, to some extent, support the goals of neurodiversity. In particular, EP perspectives could be convincing to groups more responsive to scientific evidence and help achieve a middle ground between neurodiversity advocates and critics of the movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam D Hunt
- Institute of Evolutionary Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tanya L Procyshyn
- Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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2
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Glunčić M, Vlahović I, Rosandić M, Paar V. Tandem NBPF 3mer HORs (Olduvai triplets) in Neanderthal and two novel HOR tandem arrays in human chromosome 1 T2T-CHM13 assembly. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14420. [PMID: 37660151 PMCID: PMC10475015 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41517-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
It is known that the ~ 1.6 kb Neuroblastoma BreakPoint Family (NBPF) repeats are human specific and contributing to cognitive capabilities, with increasing frequency in higher order repeat 3mer HORs (Olduvai triplets). From chimpanzee to modern human there is a discontinuous jump from 0 to ~ 50 tandemly organized 3mer HORs. Here we investigate the structure of NBPF 3mer HORs in the Neanderthal genome assembly of Pääbo et al., comparing it to the results obtained for human hg38.p14 chromosome 1. Our findings reveal corresponding NBPF 3mer HOR arrays in Neanderthals with slightly different monomer structures and numbers of HOR copies compared to humans. Additionally, we compute the NBPF 3mer HOR pattern for the complete telomere-to-telomere human genome assembly (T2T-CHM13) by Miga et al., identifying two novel tandem arrays of NBPF 3mer HOR repeats with 5 and 9 NBPF 3mer HOR copies. We hypothesize that these arrays correspond to novel NBPF genes (here referred to as NBPFA1 and NBPFA2). Further improving the quality of the Neanderthal genome using T2T-CHM13 as a reference would be of great interest in determining the presence of such distant novel NBPF genes in the Neanderthal genome and enhancing our understanding of human evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matko Glunčić
- Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
| | | | - Marija Rosandić
- University Hospital Centre Zagreb (Ret.), 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
- Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Vladimir Paar
- Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
- Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
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3
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Pacheco A, Issaian A, Davis J, Anderson N, Nemkov T, Paukovich N, Henen MA, Vögeli B, Sikela JM, Hansen K. Proteolytic activation of human-specific Olduvai domains by the furin protease. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 234:123041. [PMID: 36581038 PMCID: PMC10038901 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.12.260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Olduvai protein domains (formerly DUF1220) show the greatest human-specific increase in copy number of any coding region in the genome and are highly correlated with human brain evolution and cognitive disease. The majority of human copies are found within four NBPF genes organized in a variable number of a tandemly arranged three-domain blocks called Olduvai triplets. Here we show that these human-specific Olduvai domains are posttranslationally processed by the furin protease, with a cleavage site occurring once at each triplet. These findings suggest that all expanded human-specific NBPF genes encode proproteins consisting of many independent Olduvai triplet proteins which are activated by furin processing. The exceptional correlation of Olduvai copy number and brain size taken together with our new furin data, indicates the ultimate target of selection was a rapid increase in dosage of autonomously functioning Olduvai triplet proteins, and that these proteins are the primary active agent underlying Olduvai's role in human brain expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Pacheco
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Aaron Issaian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jonathan Davis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Nathan Anderson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Travis Nemkov
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Natasia Paukovich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Morkos A Henen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Beat Vögeli
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - James M Sikela
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Kirk Hansen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, USA.
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4
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Rajagopal VM, Ganna A, Coleman JRI, Allegrini A, Voloudakis G, Grove J, Als TD, Horsdal HT, Petersen L, Appadurai V, Schork A, Buil A, Bulik CM, Bybjerg-Grauholm J, Bækvad-Hansen M, Hougaard DM, Mors O, Nordentoft M, Werge T, Mortensen PB, Breen G, Roussos P, Plomin R, Agerbo E, Børglum AD, Demontis D. Genome-wide association study of school grades identifies genetic overlap between language ability, psychopathology and creativity. Sci Rep 2023; 13:429. [PMID: 36624241 PMCID: PMC9829693 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26845-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cognitive functions of individuals with psychiatric disorders differ from that of the general population. Such cognitive differences often manifest early in life as differential school performance and have a strong genetic basis. Here we measured genetic predictors of school performance in 30,982 individuals in English, Danish and mathematics via a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and studied their relationship with risk for six major psychiatric disorders. When decomposing the school performance into math and language-specific performances, we observed phenotypically and genetically a strong negative correlation between math performance and risk for most psychiatric disorders. But language performance correlated positively with risk for certain disorders, especially schizophrenia, which we replicate in an independent sample (n = 4547). We also found that the genetic variants relating to increased risk for schizophrenia and better language performance are overrepresented in individuals involved in creative professions (n = 2953) compared to the general population (n = 164,622). The findings together suggest that language ability, creativity and psychopathology might stem from overlapping genetic roots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veera M Rajagopal
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark.
- Center for Genome Analysis and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark.
- Centre for Integrative Sequencing, iSEQ, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Andrea Ganna
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
- Broad Institute, Cambridge, USA
| | - Jonathan R I Coleman
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- National Institute of Health Research Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley National Health Service Trust, London, UK
| | - Andrea Allegrini
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Georgios Voloudakis
- Department of Psychiatry, Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Jakob Grove
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Genome Analysis and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Integrative Sequencing, iSEQ, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Thomas D Als
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Genome Analysis and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Integrative Sequencing, iSEQ, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Henriette T Horsdal
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- The National Centre for Register-Based Research (NCRR), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Liselotte Petersen
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- The National Centre for Register-Based Research (NCRR), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Vivek Appadurai
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andrew Schork
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Neurogenomics Division, The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGEN), Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Alfonso Buil
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Cynthia M Bulik
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA
| | - Jonas Bybjerg-Grauholm
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marie Bækvad-Hansen
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - David M Hougaard
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- Department for Congenital Disorders, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ole Mors
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- Psychosis Research Unit, Aarhus University Hospital-Psychiatry, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Merete Nordentoft
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Mental Health Services in The Capital Region of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Werge
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- Institute of Biological Psychiatry, Mental Health Services of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Science, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Center for GeoGenetics, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Preben Bo Mortensen
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Integrative Sequencing, iSEQ, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- The National Centre for Register-Based Research (NCRR), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Integrated Register-Based Research (CIRRAU), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Gerome Breen
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- National Institute of Health Research Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre, South London and Maudsley National Health Service Trust, London, UK
| | - Panos Roussos
- Department of Psychiatry, Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Institute for Genomics and Multiscale Biology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
- James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Robert Plomin
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Esben Agerbo
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Genome Analysis and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Integrated Register-Based Research (CIRRAU), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anders D Børglum
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark
- Center for Genome Analysis and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
- Centre for Integrative Sequencing, iSEQ, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Ditte Demontis
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
- The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Aarhus, Denmark.
- Center for Genome Analysis and Personalized Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark.
- Centre for Integrative Sequencing, iSEQ, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
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5
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Duński E, Pękowska A. Keeping the balance: Trade-offs between human brain evolution, autism, and schizophrenia. Front Genet 2022; 13:1009390. [DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1009390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The unique qualities of the human brain are a product of a complex evolutionary process. Evolution, famously described by François Jacob as a “tinkerer,” builds upon existing genetic elements by modifying and repurposing them for new functions. Genetic changes in DNA may lead to the emergence of new genes or cause altered gene expression patterns. Both gene and regulatory element mutations may lead to new functions. Yet, this process may lead to side-effects. An evolutionary trade-off occurs when an otherwise beneficial change, which is important for evolutionary success and is under strong positive selection, concurrently results in a detrimental change in another trait. Pleiotropy occurs when a gene affects multiple traits. Antagonistic pleiotropy is a phenomenon whereby a genetic variant leads to an increase in fitness at one life-stage or in a specific environment, but simultaneously decreases fitness in another respect. Therefore, it is conceivable that the molecular underpinnings of evolution of highly complex traits, including brain size or cognitive ability, under certain conditions could result in deleterious effects, which would increase the susceptibility to psychiatric or neurodevelopmental diseases. Here, we discuss possible trade-offs and antagonistic pleiotropies between evolutionary change in a gene sequence, dosage or activity and the susceptibility of individuals to autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. We present current knowledge about genes and alterations in gene regulatory landscapes, which have likely played a role in establishing human-specific traits and have been implicated in those diseases.
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6
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Zug R, Uller T. Evolution and dysfunction of human cognitive and social traits: A transcriptional regulation perspective. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2022; 4:e43. [PMID: 37588924 PMCID: PMC10426018 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2022.42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary changes in brain and craniofacial development have endowed humans with unique cognitive and social skills, but also predisposed us to debilitating disorders in which these traits are disrupted. What are the developmental genetic underpinnings that connect the adaptive evolution of our cognition and sociality with the persistence of mental disorders with severe negative fitness effects? We argue that loss of function of genes involved in transcriptional regulation represents a crucial link between the evolution and dysfunction of human cognitive and social traits. The argument is based on the haploinsufficiency of many transcriptional regulator genes, which makes them particularly sensitive to loss-of-function mutations. We discuss how human brain and craniofacial traits evolved through partial loss of function (i.e. reduced expression) of these genes, a perspective compatible with the idea of human self-domestication. Moreover, we explain why selection against loss-of-function variants supports the view that mutation-selection-drift, rather than balancing selection, underlies the persistence of psychiatric disorders. Finally, we discuss testable predictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Zug
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Tobias Uller
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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7
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Hwang T, Kim S, Chowdhury T, Yu HJ, Kim KM, Kang H, Won JK, Park SH, Shin JH, Park CK. Genome-wide perturbations of Alu expression and Alu-associated post-transcriptional regulations distinguish oligodendroglioma from other gliomas. Commun Biol 2022; 5:62. [PMID: 35042936 PMCID: PMC8766575 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03011-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractAlu is a primate-specific repeat element in the human genome and has been increasingly appreciated as a regulatory element in many biological processes. But the appreciation of Alu has been limited in tumorigenesis, especially for brain tumor. To investigate the relevance of Alu to the gliomagenesis, we studied Alu element-associated post-transcriptional processes and the RNA expression of the element by performing RNA-seq for a total of 41 pairs of neurotypical and diverse glioma brain tissues. We find that A-to-I editing and circular RNA levels, as well as Alu RNA expression, are decreased overall in gliomas, compared to normal tissue. Interestingly, grade 2 oligodendrogliomas are least affected in A-to-I editing and circular RNA levels among gliomas, whereas they have a higher proportion of down-regulated Alu subfamilies, compared to the other gliomas. These findings collectively imply a unique pattern of Alu-associated transcriptomes in grade 2 oligodendroglioma, providing an insight to gliomagenesis from the perspective of an evolutionary genetic element.
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8
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Lawal RA, Arora UP, Dumont BL. Selection shapes the landscape of functional variation in wild house mice. BMC Biol 2021; 19:239. [PMID: 34794440 PMCID: PMC8603481 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01165-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Through human-aided dispersal over the last ~ 10,000 years, house mice (Mus musculus) have recently colonized diverse habitats across the globe, promoting the emergence of new traits that confer adaptive advantages in distinct environments. Despite their status as the premier mammalian model system, the impact of this demographic and selective history on the global patterning of disease-relevant trait variation in wild mouse populations is poorly understood. RESULTS Here, we leveraged 154 whole-genome sequences from diverse wild house mouse populations to survey the geographic organization of functional variation and systematically identify signals of positive selection. We show that a significant proportion of wild mouse variation is private to single populations, including numerous predicted functional alleles. In addition, we report strong signals of positive selection at many genes associated with both complex and Mendelian diseases in humans. Notably, we detect a significant excess of selection signals at disease-associated genes relative to null expectations, pointing to the important role of adaptation in shaping the landscape of functional variation in wild mouse populations. We also uncover strong signals of selection at multiple genes involved in starch digestion, including Mgam and Amy1. We speculate that the successful emergence of the human-mouse commensalism may have been facilitated, in part, by dietary adaptations at these loci. Finally, our work uncovers multiple cryptic structural variants that manifest as putative signals of positive selection, highlighting an important and under-appreciated source of false-positive signals in genome-wide selection scans. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our findings highlight the role of adaptation in shaping wild mouse genetic variation at human disease-associated genes. Our work also highlights the biomedical relevance of wild mouse genetic diversity and underscores the potential for targeted sampling of mice from specific populations as a strategy for developing effective new mouse models of both rare and common human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Uma P Arora
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, Maine, 04609, USA
- Tufts University, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 136 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA, 02111, USA
| | - Beth L Dumont
- The Jackson Laboratory, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, Maine, 04609, USA.
- Tufts University, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 136 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA, 02111, USA.
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9
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Genomic selection signatures in autism spectrum disorder identifies cognitive genomic tradeoff and its relevance in paradoxical phenotypes of deficits versus potentialities. Sci Rep 2021; 11:10245. [PMID: 33986442 PMCID: PMC8119484 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-89798-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by paradoxical phenotypes of deficits as well as gain in brain function. To address this a genomic tradeoff hypothesis was tested and followed up with the biological interaction and evolutionary significance of positively selected ASD risk genes. SFARI database was used to retrieve the ASD risk genes while for population datasets 1000 genome data was used. Common risk SNPs were subjected to machine learning as well as independent tests for selection, followed by Bayesian analysis to identify the cumulative effect of selection on risk SNPs. Functional implication of these positively selected risk SNPs was assessed and subjected to ontology analysis, pertaining to their interaction and enrichment of biological and cellular functions. This was followed by comparative analysis with the ancient genomes to identify their evolutionary patterns. Our results identified significant positive selection signals in 18 ASD risk SNPs. Functional and ontology analysis indicate the role of biological and cellular processes associated with various brain functions. The core of the biological interaction network constitutes genes for cognition and learning while genes in the periphery of the network had direct or indirect impact on brain function. Ancient genome analysis identified de novo and conserved evolutionary selection clusters. The de-novo evolutionary cluster represented genes involved in cognitive function. Relative enrichment of the ASD risk SNPs from the respective evolutionary cluster or biological interaction networks may help in addressing the phenotypic diversity in ASD. This cognitive genomic tradeoff signatures impacting the biological networks can explain the paradoxical phenotypes in ASD.
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10
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Gualtieri CT. Genomic Variation, Evolvability, and the Paradox of Mental Illness. Front Psychiatry 2021; 11:593233. [PMID: 33551865 PMCID: PMC7859268 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.593233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Twentieth-century genetics was hard put to explain the irregular behavior of neuropsychiatric disorders. Autism and schizophrenia defy a principle of natural selection; they are highly heritable but associated with low reproductive success. Nevertheless, they persist. The genetic origins of such conditions are confounded by the problem of variable expression, that is, when a given genetic aberration can lead to any one of several distinct disorders. Also, autism and schizophrenia occur on a spectrum of severity, from mild and subclinical cases to the overt and disabling. Such irregularities reflect the problem of missing heritability; although hundreds of genes may be associated with autism or schizophrenia, together they account for only a small proportion of cases. Techniques for higher resolution, genomewide analysis have begun to illuminate the irregular and unpredictable behavior of the human genome. Thus, the origins of neuropsychiatric disorders in particular and complex disease in general have been illuminated. The human genome is characterized by a high degree of structural and behavioral variability: DNA content variation, epistasis, stochasticity in gene expression, and epigenetic changes. These elements have grown more complex as evolution scaled the phylogenetic tree. They are especially pertinent to brain development and function. Genomic variability is a window on the origins of complex disease, neuropsychiatric disorders, and neurodevelopmental disorders in particular. Genomic variability, as it happens, is also the fuel of evolvability. The genomic events that presided over the evolution of the primate and hominid lineages are over-represented in patients with autism and schizophrenia, as well as intellectual disability and epilepsy. That the special qualities of the human genome that drove evolution might, in some way, contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders is a matter of no little interest.
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11
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Benton ML, Abraham A, LaBella AL, Abbot P, Rokas A, Capra JA. The influence of evolutionary history on human health and disease. Nat Rev Genet 2021; 22:269-283. [PMID: 33408383 PMCID: PMC7787134 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-020-00305-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Nearly all genetic variants that influence disease risk have human-specific origins; however, the systems they influence have ancient roots that often trace back to evolutionary events long before the origin of humans. Here, we review how advances in our understanding of the genetic architectures of diseases, recent human evolution and deep evolutionary history can help explain how and why humans in modern environments become ill. Human populations exhibit differences in the prevalence of many common and rare genetic diseases. These differences are largely the result of the diverse environmental, cultural, demographic and genetic histories of modern human populations. Synthesizing our growing knowledge of evolutionary history with genetic medicine, while accounting for environmental and social factors, will help to achieve the promise of personalized genomics and realize the potential hidden in an individual's DNA sequence to guide clinical decisions. In short, precision medicine is fundamentally evolutionary medicine, and integration of evolutionary perspectives into the clinic will support the realization of its full potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Lauren Benton
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA ,grid.252890.40000 0001 2111 2894Department of Computer Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX USA
| | - Abin Abraham
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA ,grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Abigail L. LaBella
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Patrick Abbot
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Antonis Rokas
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA ,grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA ,grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - John A. Capra
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA ,grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA ,grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA USA
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12
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di Porzio U. A bigger brain for a more complex environment. Rev Neurosci 2020; 31:/j/revneuro.ahead-of-print/revneuro-2020-0041/revneuro-2020-0041.xml. [PMID: 32924383 DOI: 10.1515/revneuro-2020-0041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The environment increased complexity required more neural functions to develop in the hominin brains, and the hominins adapted to the complexity by developing a bigger brain with a greater interconnection between its parts. Thus, complex environments drove the growth of the brain. In about two million years during hominin evolution, the brain increased three folds in size, one of the largest and most complex amongst mammals, relative to body size. The size increase has led to anatomical reorganization and complex neuronal interactions in a relatively small skull. At birth, the human brain is only about 20% of its adult size. That facilitates the passage through the birth canal. Therefore, the human brain, especially cortex, develops postnatally in a rich stimulating environment with continuous brain wiring and rewiring and insertion of billions of new neurons. One of the consequence is that in the newborn brain, neuroplasticity is always turned "on" and it remains active throughout life, which gave humans the ability to adapt to complex and often hostile environments, integrate external experiences, solve problems, elaborate abstract ideas and innovative technologies, store a lot of information. Besides, hominins acquired unique abilities as music, language, and intense social cooperation. Overwhelming ecological, social, and cultural challenges have made the human brain so unique. From these events, as well as the molecular genetic changes that took place in those million years, under the pressure of natural selection, derive the distinctive cognitive abilities that have led us to complex social organizations and made our species successful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umberto di Porzio
- Developmental Neurobiology Laboratory, Institute of Genetics and Biophysics, CNR, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80128 Naples, Italy
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13
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Bekpen C, Tautz D. Human core duplicon gene families: game changers or game players? Brief Funct Genomics 2020; 18:402-411. [PMID: 31529038 PMCID: PMC6920530 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elz016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Illuminating the role of specific gene duplications within the human lineage can provide insights into human-specific adaptations. The so-called human core duplicon gene families have received particular attention in this respect, due to special features, such as expansion along single chromosomes, newly acquired protein domains and signatures of positive selection. Here, we summarize the data available for 10 such families and include some new analyses. A picture emerges that suggests broad functions for these protein families, possibly through modification of core cellular pathways. Still, more dedicated studies are required to elucidate the function of core-duplicons gene families and how they have shaped adaptations and evolution of humans.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Diethard Tautz
- Max-Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306 Plön, Germany
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14
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Genes dysregulated in the blood of people with Williams syndrome are enriched in protein-coding genes positively selected in humans. Eur J Med Genet 2020; 63:103828. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmg.2019.103828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Revised: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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15
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The N-terminal of NBPF15 causes multiple types of aggregates and mediates phase transition. Biochem J 2020; 477:445-458. [DOI: 10.1042/bcj20190566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The neuroblastoma breakpoint family (NBPF) consists of 24 members that play an important role in neuroblastoma and other cancers. NBPF is an evolutionarily recent gene family that encodes several repeats of Olduvai domain and an abundant N-terminal region. The function and biochemical properties of both Olduvai domain and the N-terminal region remain enigmatic. Human NBPF15 encodes a 670 AA protein consisting of six clades of Olduvai domains. In this study, we synthesized and expressed full-length NBPF15, and purified a range of NBPF15 truncations which were analyzed using dynamic light scattering (DLS), superdex200 (S200), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), far-UV circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope (TEM), and crystallography. We found that proteins containing both the N-terminal region and Olduvai domain are heterogeneous with multiple types of aggregates, and some of them underwent a liquid-to-solid phase transition, probably because of the entanglement within the N-terminal coiled-coil. Proteins that contain only the Olduvai domain are homogeneous extended monomers, and those with the conserved clade 1 (CON1) have manifested a tendency to crystallize. We suggest that the entanglements between the mosaic disorder-ordered segments in NBPF15 N terminus have triggered the multiple types of aggregates and phase transition of NBPF15 proteins, which could be associated with Olduvai-related cognitive dysfunction diseases.
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Heft IE, Mostovoy Y, Levy-Sakin M, Ma W, Stevens AJ, Pastor S, McCaffrey J, Boffelli D, Martin DI, Xiao M, Kennedy MA, Kwok PY, Sikela JM. The Driver of Extreme Human-Specific Olduvai Repeat Expansion Remains Highly Active in the Human Genome. Genetics 2020; 214:179-191. [PMID: 31754017 PMCID: PMC6944415 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Sequences encoding Olduvai protein domains (formerly DUF1220) show the greatest human lineage-specific increase in copy number of any coding region in the genome and have been associated, in a dosage-dependent manner, with brain size, cognitive aptitude, autism, and schizophrenia. Tandem intragenic duplications of a three-domain block, termed the Olduvai triplet, in four NBPF genes in the chromosomal 1q21.1-0.2 region, are primarily responsible for the striking human-specific copy number increase. Interestingly, most of the Olduvai triplets are adjacent to, and transcriptionally coregulated with, three human-specific NOTCH2NL genes that have been shown to promote cortical neurogenesis. Until now, the underlying genomic events that drove the Olduvai hyperamplification in humans have remained unexplained. Here, we show that the presence or absence of an alternative first exon of the Olduvai triplet perfectly discriminates between amplified (58/58) and unamplified (0/12) triplets. We provide sequence and breakpoint analyses that suggest the alternative exon was produced by an nonallelic homologous recombination-based mechanism involving the duplicative transposition of an existing Olduvai exon found in the CON3 domain, which typically occurs at the C-terminal end of NBPF genes. We also provide suggestive in vitro evidence that the alternative exon may promote instability through a putative G-quadraplex (pG4)-based mechanism. Lastly, we use single-molecule optical mapping to characterize the intragenic structural variation observed in NBPF genes in 154 unrelated individuals and 52 related individuals from 16 families and show that the presence of pG4-containing Olduvai triplets is strongly correlated with high levels of Olduvai copy number variation. These results suggest that the same driver of genomic instability that allowed the evolutionarily recent, rapid, and extreme human-specific Olduvai expansion remains highly active in the human genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilea E Heft
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045
- Human Medical Genetics and Genomics Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045
| | - Yulia Mostovoy
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Michal Levy-Sakin
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Walfred Ma
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Aaron J Stevens
- Department of Pathology, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand 8140
| | - Steven Pastor
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Jennifer McCaffrey
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Dario Boffelli
- Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, California 94609
| | - David I Martin
- Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, California 94609
| | - Ming Xiao
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Martin A Kennedy
- Department of Pathology, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand 8140
| | - Pui-Yan Kwok
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Department of Dermatology, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Institute for Human Genetics, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - James M Sikela
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045
- Human Medical Genetics and Genomics Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado 80045
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17
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Issaian A, Schmitt L, Born A, Nichols PJ, Sikela J, Hansen K, Vögeli B, Henen MA. Solution NMR backbone assignment reveals interaction-free tumbling of human lineage-specific Olduvai protein domains. BIOMOLECULAR NMR ASSIGNMENTS 2019; 13:339-343. [PMID: 31264103 PMCID: PMC6715528 DOI: 10.1007/s12104-019-09902-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Olduvai protein domains, encoded primarily by NBPF genes, have been linked to both human brain evolution and cognitive diseases such as autism and schizophrenia. There are six primary domains that comprise the Olduvai family: three conserved domains (CON1-3) and three human lineage-specific domains (HLS1-3), which typically occur as a triplet (HLS1, HLS2 and HLS3). Herein, we present the solution NMR assignment of the backbone chemical shifts of the separate HLS1, 2 and 3 domains of NBPF15. Our data suggest that there is no change in the structure of the separate domains when compared to the full-length triplet (HLS1-HLS2-HLS3). We also demonstrate that there is no direct interaction between the three domains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Issaian
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, 12801 E. 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Lauren Schmitt
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, 12801 E. 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Alexandra Born
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, 12801 E. 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Parker J Nichols
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, 12801 E. 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - James Sikela
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, 12801 E. 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Kirk Hansen
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, 12801 E. 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Beat Vögeli
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, 12801 E. 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
| | - Morkos A Henen
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, 12801 E. 17th Avenue, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt
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18
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Benítez-Burraco A, Murphy E. Why Brain Oscillations Are Improving Our Understanding of Language. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:190. [PMID: 31551725 PMCID: PMC6736581 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We explore the potential that brain oscillations have for improving our understanding of how language develops, is processed in the brain, and initially evolved in our species. The different synchronization patterns of brain rhythms can account for different perceptual and cognitive functions, and we argue that this includes language. We aim to address six distinct questions-the What, How, Where, Who, Why, and When questions-pertaining to oscillatory investigations of language. Language deficits found in clinical conditions like autism, schizophrenia and dyslexia can be satisfactorily construed in terms of an abnormal, disorder-specific pattern of brain rhythmicity. Lastly, an eco-evo-devo approach to language is defended with explicit reference to brain oscillations, embracing a framework that considers language evolution to be the result of a changing environment surrounding developmental paths of the primate brain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elliot Murphy
- Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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19
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Pacheco A, Berger R, Freedman R, Law AJ. A VNTR Regulates miR-137 Expression Through Novel Alternative Splicing and Contributes to Risk for Schizophrenia. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11793. [PMID: 31409837 PMCID: PMC6692358 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48141-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The MIR137HG gene encoding microRNA-137 (miR-137) is genome-wide associated with schizophrenia (SZ), however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Through cloning and sequencing of individual transcripts from fetal and adult human brain tissues we describe novel pri-miR-137 splice variants which exclude the mature miR-137 sequence termed ‘del-miR-137’ that would function to down-regulate miR-137 expression. Sequencing results demonstrate a significant positive association between del-miR-137 transcripts and the length of a proximal variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) element. Additionally, a significantly higher proportion of sequenced transcripts from fetal brain were del-miR-137 transcripts indicating neurodevelopmental splicing regulation. In-silico results predict an independent regulatory function for del-miR-137 transcripts through competitive endogenous RNA function. A case-control haplotype analysis (n = 998) in SZ implicates short VNTR length in risk, with longer lengths imparting a protective effect. Rare high risk haplotypes were also observed indicating multiple risk variants within the region. A second haplotype analysis was performed to evaluate recombination effects excluding the VNTR and results indicate that recombination of the region was found to independently contribute to risk. Evaluation of the evolutionary conservation of the VNTR reveals a human lineage specific expansion. These findings shed further light on the risk architecture of the miR-137 region and provide a novel regulatory mechanism through VNTR length and alternative MIR137HG transcripts which contribute to risk for SZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Pacheco
- University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Ralph Berger
- University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Robert Freedman
- University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Amanda J Law
- University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. .,University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. .,University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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20
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordan W Smoller
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston; and Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Mass
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21
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Davis JM, Heft I, Scherer SW, Sikela JM. A Third Linear Association Between Olduvai (DUF1220) Copy Number and Severity of the Classic Symptoms of Inherited Autism. Am J Psychiatry 2019; 176:643-650. [PMID: 30764650 PMCID: PMC6675654 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.18080993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The authors previously reported that the copy number of sequences encoding an Olduvai protein domain subtype (CON1) shows a linear association with the severity of social deficits and communication impairment in individuals with autism. In this study, using an improved measurement method, the authors replicated this association in an independent population. METHOD The authors obtained whole genome sequence (WGS) data and phenotype data on 215 individuals from the Autism Speaks MSSNG project. They derived copy number from WGS data using a modified sequence read-depth technique. A linear mixed-effects model was used to test the association between Olduvai CON1 copy number and symptom severity as measured by the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised. The authors then combined data from previous studies (N=524) for final analyses. RESULTS A significant linear association was observed between CON1 copy number and social diagnostic score (SDS) (β=0.24) and communicative diagnostic score (CDS) (β=0.23). Using the combined data, the authors present strong significant associations of CON1 dosage with SDS (β=0.18) and CDS (β=0.13). The authors also implicate Olduvai subtypes found in two genes, NBPF1 and NBPF14 (R2=6.2%). Associations were preferentially found in multiplex versus simplex families. CONCLUSIONS The finding of a third dose-dependent association between Olduvai sequences and autism severity, preferentially in multiplex families, provides strong evidence that this highly duplicated and underexamined protein domain family plays an important role in inherited autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M. Davis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Human Medical Genetics and Genomics Program and Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine
| | - Ilea Heft
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Human Medical Genetics and Genomics Program and Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine
| | - Stephen W. Scherer
- McLaughlin Centre and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto,The Centre for Applied Genomics and Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children
| | - James M. Sikela
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Human Medical Genetics and Genomics Program and Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine
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22
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Fiddes IT, Pollen AA, Davis JM, Sikela JM. Paired involvement of human-specific Olduvai domains and NOTCH2NL genes in human brain evolution. Hum Genet 2019; 138:715-721. [PMID: 31087184 PMCID: PMC6611739 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-019-02018-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Sequences encoding Olduvai (DUF1220) protein domains show the largest human-specific increase in copy number of any coding region in the genome and have been linked to human brain evolution. Most human-specific copies of Olduvai (119/165) are encoded by three NBPF genes that are adjacent to three human-specific NOTCH2NL genes that have been shown to promote cortical neurogenesis. Here, employing genomic, phylogenetic, and transcriptomic evidence, we show that these NOTCH2NL/NBPF gene pairs evolved jointly, as two-gene units, very recently in human evolution, and are likely co-regulated. Remarkably, while three NOTCH2NL paralogs were added, adjacent Olduvai sequences hyper-amplified, adding 119 human-specific copies. The data suggest that human-specific Olduvai domains and adjacent NOTCH2NL genes may function in a coordinated, complementary fashion to promote neurogenesis and human brain expansion in a dosage-related manner.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alex A Pollen
- Department of Neurology and the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research at the University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan M Davis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Human Medical Genetics and Genomics Program and Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - James M Sikela
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Human Medical Genetics and Genomics Program and Neuroscience Program, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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Abstract
During the course of evolution the human brain has increased in size and complexity, ultimately these differences are the result of changes at the genetic level. Identifying and characterizing molecular evolution requires an understanding of both the genetic underpinning of the system as well as the comparative genetic tools to identify signatures of selection. This chapter aims to describe our current understanding of the genetics of human brain evolution. Primarily this is the story of the evolution of the human brain since our last common ape ancestor, but where relevant we will also discuss changes that are unique to the primate brain (compared to other mammals) or various other lineages in the evolution of humans more generally. It will focus on genetic changes that both directly affected the development and function of the brain as well as those that have indirectly influenced brain evolution through both prenatal and postnatal environment. This review is not meant to be exhaustive, but rather to begin to construct a general framework for understanding the full array of data being generated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Vallender
- University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United States; Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, LA, United States.
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24
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Ganesh S, Ahmed P. H, Nadella RK, More RP, Seshadri M, Viswanath B, Rao M, Jain S, Mukherjee O. Exome sequencing in families with severe mental illness identifies novel and rare variants in genes implicated in Mendelian neuropsychiatric syndromes. Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2019; 73:11-19. [PMID: 30367527 PMCID: PMC7380025 DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
AIM Severe mental illnesses (SMI), such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, are highly heritable, and have a complex pattern of inheritance. Genome-wide association studies detect a part of the heritability, which can be attributed to common genetic variation. Examination of rare variants with next-generation sequencing may add to the understanding of the genetic architecture of SMI. METHODS We analyzed 32 ill subjects from eight multiplex families and 33 healthy individuals using whole-exome sequencing. Prioritized variants were selected by a three-step filtering process, which included: deleteriousness by five in silico algorithms; sharing within families by affected individuals; rarity in South Asian sample estimated using the Exome Aggregation Consortium data; and complete absence of these variants in control individuals from the same gene pool. RESULTS We identified 42 rare, non-synonymous deleterious variants (~5 per pedigree) in this study. None of the variants were shared across families, indicating a 'private' mutational profile. Twenty (47.6%) of the variant harboring genes were previously reported to contribute to the risk of diverse neuropsychiatric syndromes, nine (21.4%) of which were of Mendelian inheritance. These included genes carrying novel deleterious variants, such as the GRM1 gene implicated in spinocerebellar ataxia 44 and the NIPBL gene implicated in Cornelia de Lange syndrome. CONCLUSION Next-generation sequencing approaches in family-based studies are useful to identify novel and rare variants in genes for complex disorders like SMI. The findings of the study suggest a potential phenotypic burden of rare variants in Mendelian disease genes, indicating pleiotropic effects in the etiology of SMI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suhas Ganesh
- Department of PsychiatryNational Institute of Mental Health and NeurosciencesBengaluruIndia
- Department of Psychiatry, Schizophrenia Neuropharmacology Research Group at YaleYale UniversityConnecticutUSA
| | | | - Ravi K. Nadella
- Department of PsychiatryNational Institute of Mental Health and NeurosciencesBengaluruIndia
| | - Ravi P. More
- National Centre for Biological SciencesBengaluruIndia
| | - Manasa Seshadri
- Department of PsychiatryNational Institute of Mental Health and NeurosciencesBengaluruIndia
| | - Biju Viswanath
- Department of PsychiatryNational Institute of Mental Health and NeurosciencesBengaluruIndia
| | - Mahendra Rao
- Centre for Brain Development and RepairInstitute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative MedicineBengaluruIndia
| | - Sanjeev Jain
- Department of PsychiatryNational Institute of Mental Health and NeurosciencesBengaluruIndia
| | - Odity Mukherjee
- Centre for Brain Development and RepairInstitute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative MedicineBengaluruIndia
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