These are the publications of the Neurogenetics of Vocal Communication Group
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2
-
Morales, A. E., Dong, Y., Brown, T., Baid, K., Kontopoulos, D.-.-G., Gonzalez, V., Huang, Z., Ahmed, A.-W., Bhuinya, A., Hilgers, L., Winkler, S., Hughes, G., Li, X., Lu, P., Yang, Y., Kirilenko, B. M., Devanna, P., Lama, T. M., Nissan, Y., Pippel, M. Morales, A. E., Dong, Y., Brown, T., Baid, K., Kontopoulos, D.-.-G., Gonzalez, V., Huang, Z., Ahmed, A.-W., Bhuinya, A., Hilgers, L., Winkler, S., Hughes, G., Li, X., Lu, P., Yang, Y., Kirilenko, B. M., Devanna, P., Lama, T. M., Nissan, Y., Pippel, M., Dávalos, L. M., Vernes, S. C., Puechmaille, S. J., Rossiter, S. J., Yovel, Y., Prescott, J. B., Kurth, A., Ray, D. A., Lim, B. K., Myers, E., Teeling, E. C., Banerjee, A., Irving, A. T., & Hiller, M. (2025). Bat genomes illuminate adaptations to viral tolerance and disease resistance. Nature, 638, 449-458. doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08471-0.
Abstract
Zoonoses are infectious diseases transmitted from animals to humans. Bats have been suggested to harbour more zoonotic viruses than any other mammalian order1. Infections in bats are largely asymptomatic2,3, indicating limited tissue-damaging inflammation and immunopathology. To investigate the genomic basis of disease resistance, the Bat1K project generated reference-quality genomes of ten bat species, including potential viral reservoirs. Here we describe a systematic analysis covering 115 mammalian genomes that revealed that signatures of selection in immune genes are more prevalent in bats than in other mammalian orders. We found an excess of immune gene adaptations in the ancestral chiropteran branch and in many descending bat lineages, highlighting viral entry and detection factors, and regulators of antiviral and inflammatory responses. ISG15, which is an antiviral gene contributing to hyperinflammation during COVID-19 (refs. 4,5), exhibits key residue changes in rhinolophid and hipposiderid bats. Cellular infection experiments show species-specific antiviral differences and an essential role of protein conjugation in antiviral function of bat ISG15, separate from its role in secretion and inflammation in humans. Furthermore, in contrast to humans, ISG15 in most rhinolophid and hipposiderid bats has strong anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Our work reveals molecular mechanisms that contribute to viral tolerance and disease resistance in bats.Additional information
supplementary information -
Rodenas-Cuadrado, P., Ho, J., & Vernes, S. C. (2014). Shining a light on CNTNAP2: Complex functions to complex disorders. European Journal of Human Genetics, 22(2), 171-178. doi:10.1038/ejhg.2013.100.
Abstract
The genetic basis of complex neurological disorders involving language are poorly understood, partly due to the multiple additive genetic risk factors that are thought to be responsible. Furthermore, these conditions are often syndromic in that they have a range of endophenotypes that may be associated with the disorder and that may be present in different combinations in patients. However, the emergence of individual genes implicated across multiple disorders has suggested that they might share similar underlying genetic mechanisms. The CNTNAP2 gene is an excellent example of this, as it has recently been implicated in a broad range of phenotypes including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), schizophrenia, intellectual disability, dyslexia and language impairment. This review considers the evidence implicating CNTNAP2 in these conditions, the genetic risk factors and mutations that have been identified in patient and population studies and how these relate to patient phenotypes. The role of CNTNAP2 is examined in the context of larger neurogenetic networks during development and disorder, given what is known regarding the regulation and function of this gene. Understanding the role of CNTNAP2 in diverse neurological disorders will further our understanding of how combinations of individual genetic risk factors can contribute to complex conditions
Share this page