Autism's de novo Mutations, Scattered Across Many Genes, Merge Into Common Network of Interactions

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Autism Mutations, Scattered Across Many Genes, Merge Into Common

Network of Interactions

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120404133700.htm

ScienceDaily (Apr. 4, 2012) --- UW researchers have announced their

findings from a major study looking into the genetic basis of autism

spectrum disorders (ASD) with an approach piloted at the UW.

The researchers have been studying ASD in children who have no family

history of this or related impairments -- so called " sporadic autism " --

and also why autism varies in its symptoms and severity. By focusing on

" sporadic autism, " the researchers sought to evaluate a specific genetic

model for ASD risk, namely the appearance of new mutations (termed de

novo) in children with ASD that were not found in either parent.

.. Their results are reported in the April 4 advanced online edition of

the journal Nature....

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J. O'Roak et al*

Sporadic autism exomes reveal a highly interconnected protein network of

de novo mutations*. /

Nature/, 2012; DOI: 10.1038/nature10989

<http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature10989>