WGS of DNA extracted from homogenized Drosophila brain tissue at larval, 0-2 and 10-12 day old (HD and CTR)

Huntington's disease (HD) is a late-onset genetic neurodegenerative disorder caused by a polyglutamine repeat expansion (polyQ) in the N-terminus of the Huntingtin protein (Htt) that result in progressive neurodegeneration and in a combination of motor, cognitive and behavioural impairments. Despite the accumulation of an impressive amount of data on the molecular basis of neurodegeneration, no cure is still available. It is therefore important to keep investigating potential previously unnoticed pathways that may be altered in HD and target of therapeutic treatments. In this study, by analysing homogenized brain tissue WGS data, we found that Transposable Element genomic activation contributes to the polyQ induced neurotoxicity in a Drosophila model of Huntington's disease.