Project Summary

Zhongming Zhao, Ph.D. (Young Investigator 2005) of Virginia Commonwealth University, aims to study in detail the complex gene structures of two well-validated schizophrenia susceptibility genes, DTNBP1 and NRG1, and their variants. In the project, Dr. Zhao will apply a bioinformatics approach to investigate the structures of these candidate genes and reveal the evolutionary and functional changes. Dr. Zhao also proposes to identify the genomic elements that may interfere with gene expression and, therefore, contribute to risk for schizophrenia. Dr. Zhao will focus on two categories, non-coding RNA genes and transposable elements, which are emerging as powerful tools for studying the functions of many genes associated with human disease. In the category of non-coding RNA, small interfering RNA and microRNA primarily will be examined. Dr. Zhao will start with the DTNBP1 gene because of its complex gene structure, abundant repetitive sequences, and the laboratory’s ongoing projects on this gene. The bioinformatics analysis above will be extended to other schizophrenia susceptibility genes including NRG1, COMT, RGS4, G72/G30, PRODH, andL1ZDHHC8. Dr. Zhao expects to develop a web interface so that the processed data and dynamic links to other databases can be available to the general public.

Program Area: SCHIZOPHRENIA/PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS\Schizophrenia\Molecular

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