How Hidden Genetic Elements Trigger a Rare Neurodegenerative Disorder

Researchers from the Jakobsson Group at Lund University have discovered how a hidden piece of DNA, known as a transposable element, disrupts normal gene function in a disease called X-Linked Dystonia-Parkinsonism (XDP). Published in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, their findings uncover the epigenetic processes that lead to changes in gene expression linked to XDP, offering new insights into how this rare genetic condition is triggered in adulthood.