Mutations in abnormal spindle disrupt temporal transcription factor expression and trigger immune responses in the Drosophila brain.

The coordination of cellular behaviors during neurodevelopment is critical for determining the form, function, and size of the central nervous system (CNS). Mutations in the vertebrate Abnormal Spindle-Like, Microcephaly Associated (ASPM) gene and its Drosophila melanogaster ortholog abnormal spindle (asp) lead to microcephaly (MCPH), a reduction in overall brain size whose etiology remains poorly defined. Here, we provide the neurodevelopmental transcriptional landscape for a Drosophila model for autosomal recessive primary microcephaly-5 (MCPH5) and extend our findings into the functional realm to identify the key cellular mechanisms responsible for Asp-dependent brain growth and development.

The neurodevelopmental transcriptome of the microcephaly gene reveals a role for temporal transcription factors and the immune system in regulating brain size.

The coordination of cellular behaviors during neurodevelopment is critical for determining the form, function, and size of the central nervous system. Mutations in the vertebrate gene and its ortholog lead to microcephaly, a reduction in overall brain size whose etiology remains poorly defined. Here we provide the neurodevelopmental transcriptional landscape for a model for autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) and extend our findings into the functional realm in an attempt to identify the key cellular mechanisms responsible for Asp-dependent brain growth and development.