Songbird Neurogenomics Initiative

鸣禽为与人类健康相关的基础神经科学研究提供了宝贵的机会 疾病。歌鸟神经基因组学(SONG)倡议旨在通过积极的、社区的- 基因组学和生物信息学中新兴技术的水平应用。在上一期间，&gt；40,000 创建了在鸣禽大脑中表达的基因的标签(表达序列标签，ESTs)，从中获得了 制作用于基因表达研究的DMA微阵列。20个不同的研究小组提交了建议书- SALS用于使用这些微阵列的实验。现在的第一个目标是贯彻执行这些 提案。它们共同解决了关于泛函的广泛的基础研究问题 大脑和基因组之间的关系。将通过微阵列对&gt；800个大脑样本进行分析， 新的“社区协作”模式，每个研究小组提供大脑样本 (严格记录)到伊利诺伊州的协作核心，该核心执行以下所有后续步骤 通过微阵列分析纯化RNA。使用通用的参考样本和技术，结果是 表情数据可以在所有实验中直接进行比较。以促进结果分析和共享 数据库、生物信息学和统计资源的综合网上套装将是 是基于美国国立卫生研究院支持的“蜂巢”项目开发的。基因组信息将进一步增强 通过额外的EST制作，开发基因组浏览器轨道，并创建一个改进的， 下一代微阵列。然后，这些资源将被集中起来，以完成对大脑区域的深度剖析 歌曲学习的关键，评估它们与其他区域的比较，包括对应于 人脑的一部分(如听觉皮质和控制语音产生的皮质区域)。一个 将举行一系列社区会议，以促进对这些工具和数据的认识和使用，并 关注鸣禽神经基因组学的“下一个前沿”。鸣鸟的大脑对 人类神经科学，因为它展示了与学习、适应、 性别差异和语音交流。在鸣禽中最先制定出的基本原则 事实证明，这对人类是正确的。此外，这里的方法可以作为一种在 社区规模，拥抱个人主动性，但协调努力，以实现更大的协同效应。

Songbirds offer valuable opportunities for fundamental neuroscience research relevant to human health and disease. The Songbird Neurogenomics (SoNG) Initiative aims to advance this by aggressive, community- level application of emerging technologies in genomics and bioinformatics. In the previous period, >40,000 tags for genes expressed in songbird brain (Expressed Sequence Tags, ESTs) were created, from which a DMA microarray was produced for gene expression studies. 20 different research groups submitted propo- sals for experiments using these microarrays. The first aim now is to follow through with execution of these proposals. Collectively they address a broad range of fundamental research questions about functional relationships between brain and genome. >800 brain samples will be analyzed by microarray, following a novel "Community Collaboration" model whereby each individual research group provides brain samples (rigorously documented) to a collaborating core at Illinois, and the core executes all subsequent steps from RNA purification through microarray analysis. With common reference samples and techniques, the resulting expression data can be compared directly across all experiments. To facilitate analysis of results and sharing of data, an integrated, web-based suite of database, bioinformatics and statistical resources will be developed based on the NIH-supported "Beehive" project. Genomic information will be further enhanced through additional EST production, development of a Genome Browser track, and creation of an improved, next-generation microarray. These resources will then be focused to complete a deep profile of brain regions key to song learning, assessing how they compare to other regions including brain areas that correspond to parts of human brain (such as auditory cortex and cortical regions for the control of speech production). A series of community conferences will be held to promote awareness and use of these tools and data, and to focus attention on "next frontiers" for songbird neurogenomics. The songbird brain is of great interest for human neuroscience because it displays an unusual level of organization related to learning, adaptation, gender differences and vocal communication. Fundamental principles worked out first in songbirds have proven true for humans. Moreover, the approach here may serve as a model for doing science on a community scale, embracing individual initiative but coordinating efforts to achieve a larger synergy.