Genomic Convergence in Hibernating Mammals Elucidates the Genetics of Metabolic Regulation in the Hypothalamus.

Elucidating the genetic basis of mammalian metabolism could help define mechanisms central to health and disease. Here, we define conserved regulatory elements (CREs) and programs for mammalian metabolic control. We delineate gene expression and chromatin responses in the mouse hypothalamus for 7 steps of the Fed-to-Fasted-to-Refed (FFR) response process.

Modular Splicing Is Linked to Evolution in the Synapse-Specificity Molecule Kirrel3.

Kirrel3 is a cell-adhesion molecule that instructs the formation of specific synapses during brain development in mouse and Kirrel3 variants may be risk factors for autism and intellectual disabilities in humans. Kirrel3 is predicted to undergo alternative splicing but brain isoforms have not been studied. Here, we present the first in-depth characterization of Kirrel3 isoform diversity in brain using targeted, long-read mRNA sequencing of mouse hippocampus.