Mutating MeCP2, the gene linked to Rett syndrome, in zebrafish allows researchers to investigate the disorder early in development, according to a study published 16 July in Frontiers in Neural Circuits.

The autism-like features seen in related neurological disorders may be the result of intellectual disability and not a shared underlying biology, says Alan Packer.
 

Harmful mutations in MeCP2 don’t always lead to Rett syndrome, and the syndrome can result from mutations in other genes, according to a study published 26 June in the Journal of Molecular Diagnostics.

Thanks to a suite of new tools based on synthetic biology, it’s now possible to quickly and cheaply insert autism-linked mutations into living cells in the lab.

Spending a month in a stimulating cage filled with wheels and toys alleviates repetitive grooming in a mouse model of autism, according to a study published 28 June in Autism Research.

Methylation — modifications to DNA that regulate gene expression — may explain why identical twins with the same Rett syndrome mutation have different symptoms, according to a study published 21 June in PLoS One.

The genes involved in Rett and Angelman syndromes may collaborate to regulate the expression of other proteins, according to a study published 19 July in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. This may explain the overlap in symptoms between the two disorders, the researchers say.

Emerging evidence indicates that microglia, the brain’s immune cells, are altered in some individuals with autism, raising questions about their role in brain development, says Beth Stevens.

Mutations in MeCP2, the Rett syndrome gene, prevent changes to DNA that dampen gene expression, according to two studies published 16 June in Nature and Nature Neuroscience. 

A new technique to transform human stem cells into neurons is faster, more efficient and more reliable than existing methods, according to a study published 5 June in Neuron.