獨特的同源盒編碼指代秀麗隱杆線蟲的所有神經元類別
作者:
小柯機器人發布時間:2020/8/21 15:55:16
美國哥倫比亞大學Oliver Hobert研究組發現,獨特的同源盒編碼指代秀麗隱杆線蟲的所有神經元類別。相關論文於2020年8月19日在線發表在《自然》雜誌上。
通過檢查秀麗隱杆線蟲基因組編碼的所有保守同源域蛋白的表達,研究人員發現,可以通過同源域蛋白表達的獨特組合分別描述完整的118個秀麗隱杆線蟲神經元類別。這提供了目前最簡單的神經元多樣性描述。計算和遺傳功能喪失分析證實了同源域蛋白不僅提供神經元類型的獨特描述,而且在指定神經元身份方面也起著關鍵作用。研究人員推測在定義獨特神經元身份中同源盒基因的廣泛使用反映了神經元細胞類型分化的進化歷史。
據介紹,目前尚不清楚是否可以將神經元細胞類型多樣性(由特定於細胞類型的解剖學、生物物理、功能和分子標記所定義)簡化為神經元同一性的簡單分子描述。
附:英文原文
Title: Unique homeobox codes delineate all the neuron classes of C. elegans
Author: Molly B. Reilly, Cyril Cros, Erdem Varol, Eviatar Yemini, Oliver Hobert
Issue&Volume: 2020-08-19
Abstract: It is not known at present whether neuronal cell-type diversity—defined by cell-type-specific anatomical, biophysical, functional and molecular signatures—can be reduced to relatively simple molecular descriptors of neuronal identity1. Here we show, through examination of the expression of all of the conserved homeodomain proteins encoded by the Caenorhabditis elegans genome2, that the complete set of 118 neuron classes of C. elegans can be described individually by unique combinations of the expression of homeodomain proteins, thereby providing—to our knowledge—the simplest currently known descriptor of neuronal diversity. Computational and genetic loss-of-function analyses corroborate the notion that homeodomain proteins not only provide unique descriptors of neuron type, but also have a critical role in specifying neuronal identity. We speculate that the pervasive use of homeobox genes in defining unique neuronal identities reflects the evolutionary history of neuronal cell-type specification. Each one of the complete set of 118 neuron classes in Caenorhabditis elegans can be specified individually by the expression of unique combinations of homeodomain proteins.
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2618-9
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2618-9