Mental retardation genes in drosophila: New approaches to understanding and treating developmental brain disorders
Linda L. Restifo,
Corresponding Author
Linda L. Restifo
ARL Division of Neurobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson Arizona
Department of Neurology, Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson Arizona
1040 East 4th Street, ARL Division of Neurobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ 85721-0077Search for more papers by this authorLinda L. Restifo,
Corresponding Author
Linda L. Restifo
ARL Division of Neurobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson Arizona
Department of Neurology, Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson Arizona
1040 East 4th Street, ARL Division of Neurobiology, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ 85721-0077Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Drosophila melanogaster is emerging as a valuable genetic model system for the study of mental retardation (MR). MR genes are remarkably similar between humans and fruit flies. Cognitive behavioral assays can detect reductions in learning and memory in flies with mutations in MR genes. Neuroanatomical methods, including some at single-neuron resolution, are helping to reveal the cellular bases of faulty brain development caused by MR gene mutations. Drosophila fragile X mental retardation 1 (dfmr1) is the fly counterpart of the human gene whose malfunction causes fragile X syndrome. Research on the fly gene is leading the field in molecular mechanisms of the gene product's biological function and in pharmacological rescue of brain and behavioral phenotypes. Future work holds the promise of using genetic pathway analysis and primary neuronal culture methods in Drosophila as tools for drug discovery for a wide range of MR and related disorders. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. MRDD Research Reviews 2005;11:286–294.
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