人類(lèi)區(qū)別于其它哺乳動(dòng)物的一大特征是擁有最大和最復(fù)雜的大腦,。長(zhǎng)期以來(lái)，人腦的特征被認(rèn)為跟腦部代謝水平有關(guān),。事實(shí)上,，人們的確在基因表達(dá)譜或者氨基酸序列上發(fā)現(xiàn)過(guò)一些表現(xiàn)出人特異的基因參與了代謝途徑。但是,，幾乎沒(méi)有人測(cè)量人類(lèi)和其它靈長(zhǎng)類(lèi)腦部代謝物的含量及其變化規(guī)律的差異,。
由中科院上海生命科學(xué)研究院計(jì)算生物學(xué)所馬普青年科學(xué)家小組組長(zhǎng)Philipp Khaitovich研究員帶領(lǐng)的研究團(tuán)隊(duì)利用氣相色譜－質(zhì)譜聯(lián)用法，測(cè)量了不同年齡段,，人,、黑猩猩和恒河猴大腦和小腦皮質(zhì)中上百種代謝物的含量，并發(fā)現(xiàn)88％的代謝物的含量隨著年齡變化呈現(xiàn)出有規(guī)則的變化,，而且有77％的變化在不同物種中有差異,。盡管總體來(lái)說(shuō)，代謝物在物種之間的變化與這些物種的系統(tǒng)進(jìn)化是一致的,，但是人類(lèi)特異的代謝水平的變化在大腦皮質(zhì)中是小腦皮質(zhì)的四倍,。這些人類(lèi)特異的代謝水平的變化與合成這些代謝物的酶的表達(dá)譜相一致，并涉及到與突觸傳導(dǎo),、學(xué)習(xí)和記憶有關(guān)的通路,。
該項(xiàng)研究成果于3月28日在線發(fā)表于美國(guó)《國(guó)家科學(xué)院院刊》（PNAS）。該研究得到了國(guó)家科技部,、中國(guó)科學(xué)院,、上海生命科學(xué)研究院、德國(guó)馬普學(xué)會(huì)以及德國(guó)聯(lián)邦教育與研究部的支持。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原文出處：
PNAS doi: 10.1073/pnas.1019164108
Rapid metabolic evolution in human prefrontal cortex
Xing Fua,1, Patrick Giavaliscob,1, Xiling Liua,1, Gareth Catchpoleb, Ning Fuc, Zhi-Bin Ningc, Song Guoa, Zheng Yana, Mehmet Somela,d, Svante P??bod, Rong Zengc,2, Lothar Willmitzerb,2, and Philipp Khaitovicha,d,2
Abstract
Human evolution is characterized by the rapid expansion of brain size and drastic increase in cognitive capabilities. It has long been suggested that these changes were accompanied by modifications of brain metabolism. Indeed, human-specific changes on gene expression or amino acid sequence were reported for a number of metabolic genes, but actual metabolite measurements in humans and apes have remained scarce. Here, we investigate concentrations of more than 100 metabolites in the prefrontal and cerebellar cortex in 49 humans, 11 chimpanzees, and 45 rhesus macaques of different ages using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). We show that the brain metabolome undergoes substantial changes, both ontogenetically and evolutionarily: 88% of detected metabolites show significant concentration changes with age, whereas 77% of these metabolic changes differ significantly among species. Although overall metabolic divergence reflects phylogenetic relationships among species, we found a fourfold acceleration of metabolic changes in prefrontal cortex compared with cerebellum in the human lineage. These human-specific metabolic changes are paralleled by changes in expression patterns of the corresponding enzymes, and affect pathways involved in synaptic transmission, memory, and learning.
