Identification and Potential Regulatory Properties of Evolutionary Conserved Regions (ECRs) at the Schizophrenia-Associated MIR137 Locus.

ABSTRACT: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified a region at chromosome 1p21.3, containing the microRNA MIR137, to be among the most significant associations for schizophrenia. However, the mechanism by which genetic variation at this locus increases risk of schizophrenia is unknown. Identifying key regulatory regions around MIR137 is crucial to understanding the potential role of this gene in the aetiology of psychiatric disorders. Through alignment of vertebrate genomes, we identified seven non-coding regions at the MIR137 locus with conservation comparable to exons (>70 %). Bioinformatic analysis using the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium GWAS dataset for schizophrenia showed five of the ECRs to have genome-wide significant SNPs in or adjacent to their sequence. Analysis of availab

SUBMITTER: Gianfrancesco O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5026716 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature