Genetic variations in transposable elements: Germ line differences and somatic variations induced during neurogenesis

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The sequencing of human and other genomes has produced an overwhelming amount of data. One challenge is to understand why 98.94% of the genome does not seem to be coding for functional proteins. Another is why over half of the sequence contains "parasitic" Transposable Elements (TE) that can produce copies of themselves anywhere else in the genome. In recent years there has been a shift in perception concerning the effects of "parasitic" and "junk" DNAs on biology. This project aims to use the data produced by next-generation sequencing technologies to determine if and how TE affect the development of the brain, whether they contribute differences between individuals and exactly how commonly they copy themselves around the genome. The occurrence and expression of TE elements have been associated with several human diseases such as cancer, diabetes and schizophrenia. A fundamental understanding of their role in normal "healthy" processes is necessary before we can hope to understand how they contribute to disease.