Scientists discover a human brain gene that can jump through DNA
Scientists at Cornell University have identified BC200, a human gene that functions in the brain while retaining the ability to move around the genome like a 'jumping gene' or transposon. This dual functionality is rare and challenges previous understandings of how mobile genetic elements are repurposed.
Why it matters
Understanding how mobile genetic elements contribute to brain function and evolution provides deeper insight into human genetics and the origins of complex biological traits.
For the first time, scientists have identified a human gene that appears to serve an important biological role while still retaining the ability to move around the genome.
Researchers at Cornell University made the discovery after finding a human genetic element inside a poxvirus. Their analysis showed that the element, known as BC200, is not only associated with brain function but also behaves like a jumping gene, meaning it can move and insert itself into genomes.
A study published Sept. 24 in Science reports that BC200 combines traits that scientists had not previously seen together in a human gene.
BC200 is expressed mainly in neurons, but its evolutionary history traces back millions of years to a transposon, also known as a 'jumping gene', a non-coding genetic element capable of relocating itself and inserting into new places in a genome.
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