Posttranscriptional Control of Brain Development

The neocortex is among the newest evolutionary additions to the human brain, consistent with its function in higher-level processes such as cognition. This structure develops through neural progenitor proliferation, neural differentiation, neuronal migration and maturation, each requiring precise gene expression control. While transcriptional regulation is a major component of corticogenesis, posttranscriptional processes are also critical to fine-tune spatiotemporal gene expression. These RNA regulatory layers modulate every step of an mRNA's life cycle, from splicing to subcellular localization, stability, and translation. Posttranscriptional control is mediated via cis -regulatory features of an RNA, as well as trans -regulatory factors including RNA binding proteins and noncoding RNAs. This chapter highlights major posttranscriptional mechanisms implicated in neocortical development. We also discuss examples whereby dysregulation of posttranscriptional processes contributes to neurodevelopmental diseases and where these processes have been co-opted during cortical evolution.