FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 21, 2011
Charting neuronal gene regulation throughout life
Researcher: Douglas Allan, University of British Columbia (UBC)
Douglas Allan, researcher at UBC, is attempting to be the first person to detail the regulatory
networks that govern how gene expression in maintained in aging neurons. Since the loss of
normal gene expression is recognized as a hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases, his
research can help us better understand how neurons are (or are not) able to maintain their gene
profiles into adulthood. Dr. Allan’s study, that takes advantage of advanced genetic technologies
available in the common fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, will be conducted through a series of
experiments to directly manipulate the regulatory mechanisms of gene expression in mature
and aging neurons.
Research Background:
The nervous system contains an enormous number of neurons with very diverse functions.
Ultimately, the differences in neuronal function reflect the differences in the gene expression
profiles of those neurons. There has been great effort over many years to determine the gene
regulatory mechanisms that generate differences in gene expression between different types of
neurons.
We now understand many of those core mechanisms. However, once neurons have been
generated and their gene expression profile determined, they must then maintain that gene
expression profile for the rest of life of the organism. In humans, this can be for up to 100 years.
Loss of normal gene expression is recognized as a hallmark of many neurodegenerative
disorders. Yet, we do not understand how neurons maintain their gene expression profiles into
adulthood. This proposal outlines a series of experiments designed to specifically address this
gap in our knowledge.
We will use the genetically-amenable organism, Drosophila melanogaster, in which we can
directly disrupt the regulatory mechanisms of gene expression in specific neurons, and at any
time of our choice. Strong mechanistic conservation has long made Drosophila an ideal model
for uncovering fundamental mechanisms of neuronal differentiation. These studies will be the
first to detail the regulatory networks that govern the specific gene expression profiles of
neurons from initiation to maintenance in aging neurons. As such, these studies will provide
fundamental insight into unknown core mechanisms underlying the normal function of neurons
throughout life.
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For more information, please contact:
Ruby Ng, Director, Marketing & Communications, Alzheimer Society of B.C.
Phone: 604-742-4919 | Cell: 604-828-9516 | E-mail: rng@alzheimerbc.org
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