Loss of epigenetic regulators causes mental retardation (w/ Video)
Monday, January 11, 2010 - 12:22
in Biology & Nature
(PhysOrg.com) -- Developing neurons don`t just need the right genes to guide them as they grow, they need access to the right genes at the right times. The improper functioning of one specific protein complex that normally suppresses gene activation is responsible for a mental retardation-like syndrome in mice, reports a team of scientists at The Rockefeller University. New findings, published in recent issues of Neuron and Science, indicate that malfunction of this protein complex causes mental retardation in mice and humans and may even play a role in promoting susceptibility to drug addiction. The research also establishes the complex as a key regulator of neuronal transcriptional identity.