Introducing the brain: genes produce multiple proteins (Introduction)

by David Turell , Tuesday, November 16, 2021, 16:14 (892 days ago) @ David Turell

From a new study:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2297650-some-genes-in-the-brain-may-make-100-diffe...

"The genetic code for the human brain is much more complex than we realised, with some genes potentially encoding tens or even hundreds of different proteins.

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"From the nearly 13,000 genes active in the cerebral cortex, the researchers found almost 33,000 different mRNA molecules. About a fifth of the genes produced mRNAs containing introns, and more than 200 genes made between 10 and 100 different mRNAs. This shows that alternative splicing in the brain is more important than we realised, says Mill. “The brain is this very complex organ, so it would make sense.”

"It isn’t known if all the mRNAs discovered end up being turned into proteins, but even if they aren’t, they can affect gene activity, says Mill. The researchers have also found that brain cells from people with Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia make different mRNAs, suggesting that alternative splicing may play a role in these conditions."

Comment: the brain is shown to be more complex than ever. Not by chance.