Abstract
The circadian rhythm of the human brain is attuned to sleep-wake cycles that entail global alterations in neuronal excitability. This periodicity involves a highly coordinated regulation of gene expression. A growing number of studies are documenting a fascinating connection between primate-specific retrotransposons (Alu elements) and key epigenetic regulatory processes in the primate brain. Collectively, these studies indicate that Alu elements embedded in the human neuronal genome mediate post-transcriptional processes that unite human-specific neuroepigenetic landscapes and circadian rhythm. Here, we review evidence linking Alu retrotransposon-mediated posttranscriptional pathways to circadian gene expression. We hypothesize that Alu retrotransposons participate in the organization of circadian brain function through multidimensional neuroepigenetic pathways. We anticipate that these pathways are closely tied to the evolution of human cognition and their perturbation contributes to the manifestation of human-specific neurological diseases. Finally, we address current challenges and accompanying opportunities in studying primate- and human-specific transposable elements.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 988-1004 |
Number of pages | 17 |
Journal | Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews |
Volume | 131 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The authors work is supported by their institution, the University of Minnesota as well as a neurodegenerative disease research endowment awarded to P.A.L. by Dr. Ann Saunders.
Funding Information:
The authors thank Dr. Ann Saunders for funds awarded to PAL in honor of Dr. Allen Roses to support research focused on the origin of human-specific neurodegenerative disease. ML thanks the Comparative Molecular Biosciences program at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine for financial support. We thank Dr. Roxanne J. Larsen for providing critical feedback that helped to improve the quality of this manuscript. Figures were created or modified using BioRender (biorender.com)
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Ltd
Keywords
- Alu elements
- Cognition
- Neuroepigenetics
- Paraspeckle
- Post-transcriptional regulation
- SINE
- Sleep
PubMed: MeSH publication types
- Journal Article
- Review
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't