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Gnanadesikan GE, Tandon D, Bray EE, Kennedy BS, Tennenbaum SR, MacLean EL, vonHoldt BM. Transposons in the Williams-Beuren Syndrome Critical Region are Associated with Social Behavior in Assistance Dogs. Behav Genet 2024; 54:196-211. [PMID: 38091228 DOI: 10.1007/s10519-023-10166-7] [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: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
A strong signature of selection in the domestic dog genome is found in a five-megabase region of chromosome six in which four structural variants derived from transposons have previously been associated with human-oriented social behavior, such as attentional bias to social stimuli and social interest in strangers. To explore these genetic associations in more phenotypic detail-as well as their role in training success in a specialized assistance dog program-we genotyped 1001 assistance dogs from Canine Companions for Independence®, including both successful graduates and dogs released from the training program for behaviors incompatible with their working role. We collected phenotypes on each dog using puppy-raiser questionnaires, trainer questionnaires, and both cognitive and behavioral tests. Using Bayesian mixed models, we found strong associations (95% credibility intervals excluding zero) between genotypes and certain behavioral measures, including separation-related problems, aggression when challenged or corrected, and reactivity to other dogs. Furthermore, we found moderate differences in the genotypes of dogs who graduated versus those who did not; insertions in GTF2I showed the strongest association with training success (β = 0.23, CI95% = - 0.04, 0.49), translating to an odds-ratio of 1.25 for one insertion. Our results provide insight into the role of each of these four transposons in canine sociability and may inform breeding and training practices for working dog organizations. Furthermore, the observed importance of the gene GTF2I supports the emerging consensus that variation in GTF2I genotypes and expression have important consequences for social behavior broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gitanjali E Gnanadesikan
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
- Cognitive Science Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA.
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
| | - Dhriti Tandon
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Emily E Bray
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
- Canine Companions for Independence, National Headquarters, Santa Rosa, CA, 95402, USA
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Oro Valley, AZ, 85737, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Brenda S Kennedy
- Canine Companions for Independence, National Headquarters, Santa Rosa, CA, 95402, USA
| | - Stavi R Tennenbaum
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Evan L MacLean
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
- Cognitive Science Program, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
- College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Arizona, Oro Valley, AZ, 85737, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Bridgett M vonHoldt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
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Welton T, Teo TWJ, Chan LL, Tan EK, Tan LCS. Parkinson's Disease Risk Variant rs9638616 is Non-Specifically Associated with Altered Brain Structure and Function. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2024; 14:713-724. [PMID: 38640170 PMCID: PMC11191537 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-230455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Background A genome-wide association study (GWAS) variant associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) risk in Asians, rs9638616, was recently reported, and maps to WBSCR17/GALNT17, which is involved in synaptic transmission and neurite development. Objective To test the association of the rs9638616 T allele with imaging-derived measures of brain microstructure and function. Methods We analyzed 3-Tesla MRI and genotyping data from 116 early PD patients (aged 66.8±9.0 years; 39% female; disease duration 1.25±0.71 years) and 57 controls (aged 68.7±7.4 years; 54% female), of Chinese ethnicity. We performed voxelwise analyses for imaging-genetic association of rs9638616 T allele with white matter tract fractional anisotropy (FA), grey matter volume and resting-state network functional connectivity. Results The rs9638616 T allele was associated with widespread lower white matter FA (t = -1.75, p = 0.042) and lower functional connectivity of the supplementary motor area (SMA) (t = -5.05, p = 0.001), in both PD and control groups. Interaction analysis comparing the association of rs9638616 and FA between PD and controls was non-significant. These imaging-derived phenotypes mediated the association of rs9638616 to digit span (indirect effect: β= -0.21 [-0.42,-0.05], p = 0.031) and motor severity (indirect effect: β= 0.15 [0.04,0.26], p = 0.045). Conclusions We have shown that a novel GWAS variant which is biologically linked to synaptic transmission is associated with white matter tract and functional connectivity dysfunction in the SMA, supported by changes in clinical motor scores. This provides pathophysiologic clues linking rs9638616 to PD risk and might contribute to future risk stratification models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Welton
- National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
| | | | - Ling Ling Chan
- National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Eng-King Tan
- National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
- Department of Neurology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
| | - Louis Chew Seng Tan
- National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore
- Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore
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Koller D, Benítez-Burraco A, Polimanti R. Enrichment of self-domestication and neural crest function loci in the heritability of neurodevelopmental disorders. Hum Genet 2023; 142:1271-1279. [PMID: 36930228 PMCID: PMC10472204 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-023-02541-5] [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: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
Self-domestication could contribute to shaping the biology of human brain and consequently the predisposition to neurodevelopmental disorders. Leveraging genome-wide data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium, we tested the enrichment of self-domestication and neural crest function loci with respect to the heritability of autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia (SCZ in East Asian and European ancestries, EAS and EUR, respectively), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Tourette's syndrome (TS). Considering only self-domestication and neural-crest-function annotations in the linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) model, our partitioned heritability analysis revealed statistically significant enrichments across all disorders investigated. The estimates of the heritability enrichments for self-domestication loci were similar across neurodevelopmental disorders, ranging from 0.902 (EAS SCZ, p = 4.55 × 10-20) to 1.577 (TS, p = 5.85 × 10-5). Conversely, a wider spectrum of heritability enrichment estimates was present for neural crest function with the highest enrichment observed for TS (enrichment = 3.453, p = 2.88 × 10-3) and the lowest for EAS SCZ (enrichment = 1.971, p = 3.81 × 10-3). Although these estimates appear to be strong, the enrichments for self-domestication and neural crest function were null once we included additional annotations related to different genomic features. This indicates that the effect of self-domestication on the polygenic architecture of neurodevelopmental disorders is not independent of other functions of human genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dora Koller
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, VA CT 116A2, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish, Linguistics, and Theory of Literature (Linguistics), Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, 41004, Seville, Spain
| | - Renato Polimanti
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, VA CT 116A2, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
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Torres-Pérez JV, Anagianni S, Mech AM, Havelange W, García-González J, Fraser SE, Vallortigara G, Brennan CH. baz1b loss-of-function in zebrafish produces phenotypic alterations consistent with the domestication syndrome. iScience 2022; 26:105704. [PMID: 36582821 PMCID: PMC9793288 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BAZ1B is a ubiquitously expressed nuclear protein with roles in chromatin remodeling, DNA replication and repair, and transcription. Reduced BAZ1B expression disrupts neuronal and neural crest development. Variation in the activity of BAZ1B has been proposed to underly morphological and behavioral aspects of domestication through disruption of neural crest development. Knockdown of baz1b in Xenopus embryos and Baz1b loss-of-function (LoF) in mice leads to craniofacial defects consistent with this hypothesis. We generated baz1b LoF zebrafish using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to test the hypothesis that baz1b regulates behavioral phenotypes associated with domestication in addition to craniofacial features. Zebrafish with baz1b LoF show mild underdevelopment at larval stages and distinctive craniofacial features later in life. Mutant zebrafish show reduced anxiety-associated phenotypes and an altered ontogeny of social behaviors. Thus, in zebrafish, developmental deficits in baz1b recapitulate both morphological and behavioral phenotypes associated with the domestication syndrome in other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose V. Torres-Pérez
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- Departament de Biologia Cel·lular, Biologia Funcional i Antropologia física, Fac. de CC. Biològiques, Universitat de València, C/ Dr. Moliner 50, Burjassot, València 46100, Spain
- Corresponding author
| | - Sofia Anagianni
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Aleksandra M. Mech
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - William Havelange
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
| | - Judit García-González
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Scott E. Fraser
- Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Caroline H. Brennan
- School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
- Corresponding author
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Beckman AK, Richey BMS, Rosenthal GG. Behavioral responses of wild animals to anthropogenic change: insights from domestication. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03205-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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6
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Mariasina SS, Chang CF, Navalayeu TL, Chugunova AA, Efimov SV, Zgoda VG, Ivlev VA, Dontsova OA, Sergiev PV, Polshakov VI. Williams-Beuren Syndrome Related Methyltransferase WBSCR27: From Structure to Possible Function. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:865743. [PMID: 35782865 PMCID: PMC9240639 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.865743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a genetic disorder associated with the hemizygous deletion of several genes in chromosome 7, encoding 26 proteins. Malfunction of these proteins induce multisystemic failure in an organism. While biological functions of most proteins are more or less established, the one of methyltransferase WBSCR27 remains elusive. To find the substrate of methylation catalyzed by WBSCR27 we constructed mouse cell lines with a Wbscr27 gene knockout and studied the obtained cells using several molecular biology and mass spectrometry techniques. We attempted to pinpoint the methylation target among the RNAs and proteins, but in all cases neither a direct substrate has been identified nor the protein partners have been detected. To reveal the nature of the putative methylation substrate we determined the solution structure and studied the conformational dynamic properties of WBSCR27 in apo state and in complex with S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH). The protein core was found to form a canonical Rossman fold common for Class I methyltransferases. N-terminus of the protein and the β6–β7 loop were disordered in apo-form, but binding of SAH induced the transition of these fragments to a well-formed substrate binding site. Analyzing the structure of this binding site allows us to suggest potential substrates of WBSCR27 methylation to be probed in further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia S. Mariasina
- Faculty of Fundamental Medicine, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Functional Genomics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Chi-Fon Chang
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | | | | | - Sergey V. Efimov
- NMR Laboratory, Institute of Physics, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
| | | | | | - Olga A. Dontsova
- Chemical Department, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Petr V. Sergiev
- Institute of Functional Genomics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Chemical Department, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir I. Polshakov
- Faculty of Fundamental Medicine, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- *Correspondence: Vladimir I. Polshakov,
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Ali MB, Dreger DL, Buckley RM, Mansoor S, Khan QM, Ostrander EA. Genetic Origins of the Two Canis lupus familiaris (Dog) Freight Dog Populations. J Hered 2022; 113:160-170. [PMID: 35575082 PMCID: PMC9113510 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esac002] [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: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite periodic drops in popularity, Arctic sled dogs continue to play a vital role in northern societies, providing both freight transit and recreational race activities. In this study, we selected the Mackenzie River Husky, a freight dog of complex history, and the Chinook, an American Kennel Club recognized freight dog breed whose heritage reportedly overlaps that of the MKRH, for detailed population analysis. We tested each to determine their component breeds and used admixture analysis to ascertain their population structure. We utilized haplotype analysis to identify genomic regions shared between each population and their founding breeds. Our data show that the Alaskan Malamutes and modern Greenland sled dog contributed to both populations, but there are also unexpected contributions from the German Shepherd dog and Collie. We used haplotype analysis to identify genomic regions nearing fixation in population type and identify provocative genes in each region. Finally, in response to recent reports regarding the importance of dietary lipid genes in Arctic dogs, we analyzed 8 such genes in a targeted analysis observing signatures of selection in both populations at the MLXIPL gene loci. These data highlight the genetic routes that breeds of similar function have taken toward their occupation as successful sled dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Basil Ali
- National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Dayna L Dreger
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Drive, Building 51, Room 5351, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Reuben M Buckley
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Drive, Building 51, Room 5351, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Shahid Mansoor
- National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Qaiser M Khan
- National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering College (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Elaine A Ostrander
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, 50 South Drive, Building 51, Room 5351, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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8
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Cupaioli FA, Fallerini C, Mencarelli MA, Perticaroli V, Filippini V, Mari F, Renieri A, Mezzelani A. Autism Spectrum Disorders: Analysis of Mobile Elements at 7q11.23 Williams-Beuren Region by Comparative Genomics. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12101605. [PMID: 34680999 PMCID: PMC8535890 DOI: 10.3390/genes12101605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of complex neurodevelopmental disorders, characterized by a deficit in social interaction and communication. Many genetic variants are associated with ASD, including duplication of 7q11.23 encompassing 26-28 genes. Symmetrically, the hemizygous deletion of 7q11.23 causes Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS), a multisystem disorder characterized by "hyper-sociability" and communication skills. Interestingly, deletion of four non-exonic mobile elements (MEs) in the "canine WBS locus" were associated with the behavioral divergence between the wolf and the dog and dog sociability and domestication. We hypothesized that indel of these MEs could be involved in ASD, associated with its different phenotypes and useful as biomarkers for patient stratification and therapeutic design. Since these MEs are non-exonic they have never been discovered before. We searched the corresponding MEs and loci in humans by comparative genomics. Interestingly, they mapped on different but ASD related genes. The loci in individuals with phenotypically different autism and neurotypical controls were amplified by PCR. A sub-set of each amplicon was sequenced by Sanger. No variant resulted associated with ASD and neither specific phenotypes were found but novel small-scale insertions and SNPs were discovered. Since MEs are hyper-methylated and epigenetically modulate gene expression, further investigation in ASD is necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Anna Cupaioli
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Research Council, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate, Italy;
| | - Chiara Fallerini
- Med Biotech Hub and Competence Center, Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (C.F.); (V.P.); (V.F.); (F.M.); (A.R.)
- Medical Genetics, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | | | - Valentina Perticaroli
- Med Biotech Hub and Competence Center, Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (C.F.); (V.P.); (V.F.); (F.M.); (A.R.)
- Medical Genetics, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Genetica Medica, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Senese, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Virginia Filippini
- Med Biotech Hub and Competence Center, Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (C.F.); (V.P.); (V.F.); (F.M.); (A.R.)
- Medical Genetics, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Genetica Medica, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Senese, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Francesca Mari
- Med Biotech Hub and Competence Center, Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (C.F.); (V.P.); (V.F.); (F.M.); (A.R.)
- Medical Genetics, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Genetica Medica, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Senese, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Alessandra Renieri
- Med Biotech Hub and Competence Center, Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (C.F.); (V.P.); (V.F.); (F.M.); (A.R.)
- Medical Genetics, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy
- Genetica Medica, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Senese, 53100 Siena, Italy;
| | - Alessandra Mezzelani
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, Italian National Research Council, Via Fratelli Cervi 93, 20090 Segrate, Italy;
- Correspondence:
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9
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Sharif SB, Zamani N, Chadwick BP. BAZ1B the Protean Protein. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12101541. [PMID: 34680936 PMCID: PMC8536118 DOI: 10.3390/genes12101541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The bromodomain adjacent to the zinc finger domain 1B (BAZ1B) or Williams syndrome transcription factor (WSTF) are just two of the names referring the same protein that is encoded by the WBSCR9 gene and is among the 26-28 genes that are lost from one copy of 7q11.23 in Williams syndrome (WS: OMIM 194050). Patients afflicted by this contiguous gene deletion disorder present with a range of symptoms including cardiovascular complications, developmental defects as well as a characteristic cognitive and behavioral profile. Studies in patients with atypical deletions and mouse models support BAZ1B hemizygosity as a contributing factor to some of the phenotypes. Focused analysis on BAZ1B has revealed this to be a versatile nuclear protein with a central role in chromatin remodeling through two distinct complexes as well as being involved in the replication and repair of DNA, transcriptional processes involving RNA Polymerases I, II, and III as well as possessing kinase activity. Here, we provide a comprehensive review to summarize the many aspects of BAZ1B function including its recent link to cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahin Behrouz Sharif
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA;
| | - Nina Zamani
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA;
| | - Brian P. Chadwick
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA;
- Correspondence:
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Benítez-Burraco A, Pörtl D, Jung C. Did Dog Domestication Contribute to Language Evolution? Front Psychol 2021; 12:695116. [PMID: 34589022 PMCID: PMC8473740 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.695116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Different factors seemingly account for the emergence of present-day languages in our species. Human self-domestication has been recently invoked as one important force favoring language complexity mostly via a cultural mechanism. Because our self-domestication ultimately resulted from selection for less aggressive behavior and increased prosocial behavior, any evolutionary or cultural change impacting on aggression levels is expected to have fostered this process. Here, we hypothesize about a parallel domestication of humans and dogs, and more specifically, about a positive effect of our interaction with dogs on human self-domestication, and ultimately, on aspects of language evolution, through the mechanisms involved in the control of aggression. We review evidence of diverse sort (ethological mostly, but also archeological, genetic, and physiological) supporting such an effect and propose some ways of testing our hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish, Linguistics, and Theory of Literature (Linguistics), Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
| | - Daniela Pörtl
- Psychiatric Department, Saale-Unstrut Klinikum, Teaching Hospital Leipzig and Jena Universities, Naumburg, Germany
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11
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Osborne LR, Mervis CB. 7q11.23 deletion and duplication. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2021; 68:41-48. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2021.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
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12
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Coninx E, Chew YC, Yang X, Guo W, Coolkens A, Baatout S, Moons L, Verslegers M, Quintens R. Hippocampal and cortical tissue-specific epigenetic clocks indicate an increased epigenetic age in a mouse model for Alzheimer's disease. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:20817-20834. [PMID: 33082299 PMCID: PMC7655172 DOI: 10.18632/aging.104056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic clocks are based on age-associated changes in DNA methylation of CpG-sites, which can accurately measure chronological age in different species. Recently, several studies have indicated that the difference between chronological and epigenetic age, defined as the age acceleration, could reflect biological age indicating functional decline and age-associated diseases. In humans, an epigenetic clock associated Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology with an acceleration of the epigenetic age. In this study, we developed and validated two mouse brain region-specific epigenetic clocks from the C57BL/6J hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Both clocks, which could successfully estimate chronological age, were further validated in a widely used mouse model for AD, the triple transgenic AD (3xTg-AD) mouse. We observed an epigenetic age acceleration indicating an increased biological age for the 3xTg-AD mice compared to non-pathological C57BL/6J mice, which was more pronounced in the cortex as compared to the hippocampus. Genomic region enrichment analysis revealed that age-dependent CpGs were enriched in genes related to developmental, aging-related, neuronal and neurodegenerative functions. Due to the limited access of human brain tissues, these epigenetic clocks specific for mouse cortex and hippocampus might be important in further unravelling the role of epigenetic mechanisms underlying AD pathology or brain aging in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Coninx
- Radiobiology Unit, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol 2400, Belgium
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Yap Ching Chew
- Epigenetics Technologies, Zymo Research Corporation, Irvine, CA 92614, USA
| | - Xiaojing Yang
- Epigenetics Technologies, Zymo Research Corporation, Irvine, CA 92614, USA
| | - Wei Guo
- Epigenetics Technologies, Zymo Research Corporation, Irvine, CA 92614, USA
| | - Amelie Coolkens
- Radiobiology Unit, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Sarah Baatout
- Radiobiology Unit, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Lieve Moons
- Neural Circuit Development and Regeneration Research Group, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Mieke Verslegers
- Radiobiology Unit, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol 2400, Belgium
| | - Roel Quintens
- Radiobiology Unit, Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol 2400, Belgium
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13
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Comparing the tractability of young hand-raised wolves (Canis lupus) and dogs (Canis familiaris). Sci Rep 2020; 10:14678. [PMID: 32895422 PMCID: PMC7477132 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71687-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Dogs live in 45% of households, integrated into various human groups in various societies. This is certainly not true for wolves. We suggest that dogs' increased tractability (meant as individual dogs being easier to control, handle and direct by humans, in contrast to trainability defined as performance increase due to training) makes a crucial contribution to this fundamental difference. In this study, we assessed the development of tractability in hand-raised wolves and similarly raised dogs. We combined a variety of behavioural tests: fetching, calling, obeying a sit signal, hair brushing and walking in a muzzle. Wolf (N = 16) and dog (N = 11) pups were tested repeatedly, between the ages of 3-24 weeks. In addition to hand-raised wolves and dogs, we also tested mother-raised family dogs (N = 12) for fetching and calling. Our results show that despite intensive socialization, wolves remained less tractable than dogs, especially in contexts involving access to a resource. Dogs' tractability appeared to be less context dependent, as they followed human initiation of action in more contexts than wolves. We found no evidence that different rearing conditions (i.e. intensive socialization vs. mother rearing) would affect tractability in dogs. This suggests that during domestication dogs might have been selected for increased tractability, although based on the current data we cannot exclude that the differential speed of development of dogs and wolves or the earlier relocation of wolves to live as a group explains some of the differences we found.
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14
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Zanella M, Vitriolo A, Andirko A, Martins PT, Sturm S, O’Rourke T, Laugsch M, Malerba N, Skaros A, Trattaro S, Germain PL, Mihailovic M, Merla G, Rada-Iglesias A, Boeckx C, Testa G. Dosage analysis of the 7q11.23 Williams region identifies BAZ1B as a major human gene patterning the modern human face and underlying self-domestication. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaaw7908. [PMID: 31840056 PMCID: PMC6892627 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw7908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
We undertook a functional dissection of chromatin remodeler BAZ1B in neural crest (NC) stem cells (NCSCs) from a uniquely informative cohort of typical and atypical patients harboring 7q11.23 copy number variants. Our results reveal a key contribution of BAZ1B to NCSC in vitro induction and migration, coupled with a crucial involvement in NC-specific transcriptional circuits and distal regulation. By intersecting our experimental data with new paleogenetic analyses comparing modern and archaic humans, we found a modern-specific enrichment for regulatory changes both in BAZ1B and its experimentally defined downstream targets, thereby providing the first empirical validation of the human self-domestication hypothesis and positioning BAZ1B as a master regulator of the modern human face. In so doing, we provide experimental evidence that the craniofacial and cognitive/behavioral phenotypes caused by alterations of the Williams-Beuren syndrome critical region can serve as a powerful entry point into the evolution of the modern human face and prosociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Zanella
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Vitriolo
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Alejandro Andirko
- University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- University of Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pedro Tiago Martins
- University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- University of Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Stefanie Sturm
- University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- University of Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Thomas O’Rourke
- University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- University of Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Magdalena Laugsch
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Natascia Malerba
- Division of Medical Genetics, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy
| | - Adrianos Skaros
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Trattaro
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Pierre-Luc Germain
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- D-HEST Institute for Neuroscience, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Marija Mihailovic
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Merla
- Division of Medical Genetics, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, San Giovanni Rotondo, Foggia, Italy
| | - Alvaro Rada-Iglesias
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases (CECAD), University of Cologne, Germany
- Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria, University of Cantabria, Cantabria, Spain
| | - Cedric Boeckx
- University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- University of Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute for Advanced Studies and Research (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Giuseppe Testa
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Laboratory of Stem Cell Epigenetics, IEO, European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Human Technopole, Center for Neurogenomics, Via Cristina Belgioioso 171, Milan, Italy
- Corresponding author. , ,
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15
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Tandon D, Ressler K, Petticord D, Papa A, Jiranek J, Wilkinson R, Kartzinel RY, Ostrander EA, Burney N, Borden C, Udell MAR, VonHoldt BM. Homozygosity for Mobile Element Insertions Associated with WBSCR17 Could Predict Success in Assistance Dog Training Programs. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10060439. [PMID: 31181852 PMCID: PMC6627829 DOI: 10.3390/genes10060439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Assistance dog training programs can see as many as 60% of their trainees dismissed. Many training programs utilize behavioral assays prior to admittance to identify likely successful candidates, yet such assays can be insconsistent. Recently, four canine retrotransposon mobile element insertions (MEIs) in or near genes WBSCR17 (Cfa6.6 and Cfa6.7), GTF2I (Cfa6.66) and POM121 (Cfa6.83) were identified in domestic dogs and gray wolves. Variations in these MEIs were significantly associated with a heightened propensity to initiate prolonged social contact or hypersociability. Using our dataset of 837 dogs, 228 of which had paired survey-based behavioral data, we discovered that one of the insertions in WBSCR17 is the most important predictor of dog sociable behaviors related to human proximity, measured by the Canine Behavioral Assessment Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ©). We found a positive correlation between insertions at Cfa6.6 and dog separation distress in the form of restlessness when about to be left alone by the owner. Lastly, assistance dogs showed significant heterozygosity deficiency at locus Cfa6.6 and higher frequency of insertions at Cfa6.6 and Cfa6.7. We suggest that training programs could utilize this genetic survey to screen for MEIs at WBSCR17 to identify dogs with sociable traits compatible with successful assistance dog performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhriti Tandon
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Kyra Ressler
- Mercer County Community College, West Windsor, NJ 08550, USA.
| | - Daniel Petticord
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Andrea Papa
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Juliana Jiranek
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Riley Wilkinson
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
| | - Rebecca Y Kartzinel
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
| | - Elaine A Ostrander
- Cancer Genetics and Comparative Genomics Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Nathaniel Burney
- Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, Inc., Williston, FL 32696, USA.
| | - Carol Borden
- Guardian Angels Medical Service Dogs, Inc., Williston, FL 32696, USA.
| | - Monique A R Udell
- Department of Animal and Rangeland Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
| | - Bridgett M VonHoldt
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA.
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16
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Niego A, Benítez-Burraco A. Williams Syndrome, Human Self-Domestication, and Language Evolution. Front Psychol 2019; 10:521. [PMID: 30936846 PMCID: PMC6431629 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Language evolution resulted from changes in our biology, behavior, and culture. One source of these changes might be human self-domestication. Williams syndrome (WS) is a clinical condition with a clearly defined genetic basis which results in a distinctive behavioral and cognitive profile, including enhanced sociability. In this paper we show evidence that the WS phenotype can be satisfactorily construed as a hyper-domesticated human phenotype, plausibly resulting from the effect of the WS hemideletion on selected candidates for domestication and neural crest (NC) function. Specifically, we show that genes involved in animal domestication and NC development and function are significantly dysregulated in the blood of subjects with WS. We also discuss the consequences of this link between domestication and WS for our current understanding of language evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Niego
- Ph.D. Program, Faculty of Humanities, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain
| | - Antonio Benítez-Burraco
- Department of Spanish, Linguistics, and Theory of Literature, Faculty of Philology, University of Seville, Seville, Spain
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