Project Type MQP Submission date 2008-04-23 Author Briana Elizabeth Dougherty, BIO URN E-project-042308-202340 Sponsor Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Med Title Sex Difference in Expression of Autism Candidate Gene Gabrb3 in Mouse Amygdala Advisor Gibson, Daniel G, BB Availability unrestricted Abstract
This project targeted gene expression in specific brain regions known to play a role in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Due to ASD affecting males four times more often than females, we compared the male and female gene expression in different brain regions. Specific brain regions were extracted and analyzed using a PCR panel containing 84 neurotransmitter genes to identify differences between males and females in gene expression. Gabrb3 was found to be significantly higher in females than males. siRNA gene silencing was tested in the second part of the project for studying functionality. In the trial, the injection of gene specific siRNA, Mapk1, was shown to completely silence expression of the targeted gene. This would be the next step in identifying which genes are specific to autism.
Files Dougherty_MQP_Final.pdf
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