What does microcephalin do?

Microcephalin is crucial for cell cycle control, chromosome condensation, and DNA repair. CDK5RAP2 is a centrosomal protein involved in microtubular function necessary for formation of the mitotic spindle.

What is the MCPH1 gene?

Microcephalin (MCPH1) is a gene that is expressed during fetal brain development. Certain mutations in MCPH1, when homozygous, cause primary microcephaly—a severely diminished brain. Hence, it has been assumed that variants have a role in brain development.

What is adaptive allele?

Ecotypes, populations of a same species that are adapted to different environments, are common in plants. However, the genetic mechanisms through which they arise and are maintained are poorly understood.

What is autosomal recessive primary microcephaly?

Autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (often shortened to MCPH, which stands for “microcephaly primary hereditary”) is a condition in which infants are born with a very small head and a small brain. The term “microcephaly” comes from the Greek words for “small head.”

What does the FOXP2 gene control?

The FOXP2 gene provides instructions for making a protein called forkhead box P2. This protein is a transcription factor, which means that it controls the activity of other genes. It attaches (binds) to the DNA of these genes through a region known as a forkhead domain.

How does the FOXP2 gene affect language development?

Causes. As its name suggests, FOXP2-related speech and language disorder is caused by changes involving the FOXP2 gene. This gene provides instructions for making a protein called forkhead box P2, which appears to be essential for the normal development of speech and language.

What is non adaptive evolution?

Non-adaptive evolution refers to evolutionary processes that are primarily driven not by natural selection, but by factors such as a bias towards generating certain mutations over others.

What are deleterious recessive alleles?

Significance. A deleterious mutation that is recessive is hidden in individuals containing only one copy (i.e., heterozygotes); however, individuals containing two copies (i.e., homozygotes) suffer negative effects.

What gene causes microcephaly?

Mutations in the ASPM gene are the most common cause of the disorder, accounting for about half of all cases. The genes associated with MCPH play important roles in early brain development, particularly in determining brain size.