title: Human-specific gene ARHGAP11B promotes basal progenitor amplification and neocortex expansion.
abstract: Evolutionary expansion of the human neocortex reflects increased amplification of basal progenitors in the subventricular zone, producing more neurons during fetal corticogenesis. In this work, we analyze the transcriptomes of distinct progenitor subpopulations isolated by a cell polarity-based approach from developing mouse and human neocortex. We identify 56 genes preferentially expressed in human apical and basal radial glia that lack mouse orthologs. Among these, ARHGAP11B has the highest degree of radial glia-specific expression. ARHGAP11B arose from partial duplication of ARHGAP11A (which encodes a Rho guanosine triphosphatase-activating protein) on the human lineage after separation from the chimpanzee lineage. Expression of ARHGAP11B in embryonic mouse neocortex promotes basal progenitor generation and self-renewal and can increase cortical plate area and induce gyrification. Hence, ARHGAP11B may have contributed to evolutionary expansion of human neocortex.
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Florio
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Mareike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taverna
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Namba
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brandl
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lewitus
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Christiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Haffner
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sykes
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Fong Kuan
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Jula
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guhr
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Dresden, Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Fetscherstraße 105, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klemroth
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA), Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Prüfer
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA), Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kelso
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Naumann
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Ina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nüsslein
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Dresden, Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Fetscherstraße 105, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dahl
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Dresden, Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus, Klinik und Poliklinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe, Fetscherstraße 74, D-01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lachmann
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA), Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Svante
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pääbo
authors.affiliation: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG), Pfotenhauerstraße 108, D-01307 Dresden, Germany. huttner@mpi-cbg.de.
authors.forename: Wieland B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Huttner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002469:Cell Separation; D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020440:Gene Duplication; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D020547:Lateral Ventricles / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D019579:Neocortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: C000596803:ARHGAP11A protein, human; C000596802:ARHGAP11B protein, human; D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins