[tt] Progress on genes that control neurons

[Hughes, James J.]

http://io9.com/5022367/scientists-identify-genes-that-could-turn-ordinar
y-people-into-supergeniuses-or-mindless-drones

Scientists Identify Genes that Could Turn Ordinary People into
Supergeniuses (or Mindless Drones) 

By Annalee Newitz on PLoS

It's clear that there's a specific set of genes responsible for brain
development when you're in the womb, and that those genes affect your
ability to learn later on. But now a group of researchers in the U.S.
and Canada have identified those genes. And their discovery could
represent the first step in tweaking brain development. It's possible
that that knocking out some of those genes or adding extra copies of
them to a developing baby could result in the tailor-made human minds of
Brave New World: Some will be born to develop cutting-edge technologies,
and others to be slow-witted and compliant.

Published this weekend in PLoS Genetics, the study is extraordinary not
just because of its futuristic implications, but because of the cool new
super-rapid system the researchers used to identify which genes are
active during brain development. The technique is called RNA
interference, or RNAi:

    Dr. Katharine Sepp and her fellow researchers took fresh neuronal
cells extracted from embryos of the fruit fly genus Drosophila and
screened them using RNA interference techniques. The team tested all
genes, one by one in a rapid manner, for their potential role in
neuronal development. The team then validated the method in mice.

    A combination of live-cell imaging and quantitative analysis allowed
Sepp et al to characterize neurons' morphological phenotypes in response
to RNAi-mediated gene knockdown. The researchers focused on 104
evolutionary conserved genes that, when downregulated by RNAi, have
morphological defects. The team developed algorithms to help streamline
the analysis of the thousands of images created in the process.

    The analysis revealed unexpected, essential roles in neurite
outgrowth for genes representing a wide range of functional categories
including signalling molecules, enzymes, channels, receptors, and
cytoskeletal proteins. Results also determined that genes known to be
involved in protein and vesicle trafficking show similar RNAi
phenotypes.

    The researchers believe that this study provides an effective method
for future studies of a large variety of genes, including those with
important functions in the nervous system. 

This research will open up new ways to tinker with brain development,
but right now the genes have only been identified in flies and mice.
Humans share a lot of genes with both creatures. Still, don't expect to
order your supergenius baby next week. Or your army of slave drones.

Identification of Neural Outgrowth Genes Using Genome-Wide RNAi [PLoS
Genetics]
http://www.plosgenetics.org/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:
doi/10.1371/journal.pgen.1000111