Molecular function of TRIM32 in adult neurogenesis and regulation of Parkinson's disease associated genes

In the adult brain, neurogenesis is restricted in two brain regions: i) the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricles and ii) the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Adult neural stem cells of the SVZ continuously generate new neurons for the olfactory bulb (OB). The fate commitment of these cells is regulated by cell fate determining proteins. Here, we aim to investigate the role of TRIM32 during the process of adult neurogenesis and understand its function in the mammalian system. In addition, we aim to identify the role of TRIM32 in transcriptional regulation of Parkinson’s disease (PD) associated genes. We focus on alpha synuclein, a gene which is also implicated in neuronal dysfunction, death and proliferation of neural stem cells. Acquiring more knowledge about the regulation of this gene may be critical for PD pathogenesis and will allow us to come to a closer understanding of the disease.