RNA gains a new function: A mediator of neurodegeneration

Research output: Contribution to journalShort surveypeer-review

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Abstract

Over the past couple of years, it has become evident that some males carrying the fragile X mental retardation (FMR1) premutation, typically viewed to be normal, in fact manifest a neurodegenerative disease with ataxia and tremor. FMR1 premutation alleles uniquely produce FMR1 transcripts with an elongated CGG repeat, leading to the hypothesis that premutant transcripts cause the neurodegenerative disease in carriers. Recently Jin et al. demonstrated, in Drosophila, that FMR1 premutation RNA causes neurodegeneration. These data show RNA can induce neurodegeneration and provide strong evidence that FMR1 RNA mediates the neurodegeneration in human premutation carriers.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)233-234
Number of pages2
JournalTrends in Neurosciences
Volume27
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2004

Bibliographical note

Copyright:
Copyright 2008 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

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