Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42409844›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

A human-specific microRNA controls the timing of excitatory synaptogenesis.

Michael Soutschek, Alessandra Lo Bianco, Simon Galkin, Tatjana Wüst, Koen Wentinck, David Colameo, Tomas Germade, Fridolin Gross, Lukas von Ziegler, Johannes Bohacek and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
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  5. Article
  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

15 authors.

Michael SoutschekLaboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8472-8124
Alessandra Lo BiancoLaboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Simon GalkinLaboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0479-0591
Tatjana WüstLaboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Koen WentinckDepartment of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
David ColameoLaboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8432-9396
Tomas GermadeLaboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5144-1266
Fridolin GrossLaboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Lukas von ZieglerLaboratory of Molecular and Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Johannes BohacekLaboratory of Molecular and Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8442-653X
Betina ElfvingTranslational Neuropsychiatry Unit A601, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6939-5088
Pierre-Luc GermainLaboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3418-4218
Jochen WintererLaboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6800-6594
Tatjana KleeleDepartment of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. tatjana.kleele@biol.ethz.ch.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5320-7337
Gerhard SchrattLaboratory of Systems Neuroscience, Institute for Neuroscience, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. gerhard.schratt@hest.ethz.ch.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7527-2025

Funding

Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (Swiss National Science Foundation) 32NE30_189486
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Neural circuit development in the human cortex is considerably prolonged in comparison to non-human primates, a trait that contributes to the remarkable cognitive capacity of modern humans. Here, we explore the regulatory role of non-coding RNAs, which dramatically expanded during brain evolution, in synapse development of human induced pluripotent stem-cell derived neurons. We found that inhibition of a human-specific microRNA, miR-1229-3p, alters the trajectory of human neuronal maturation and enhances excitatory synaptic transmission. Transcriptome analysis following miR-1229 knockdown revealed a downregulation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) encoded genes. We further show that miR-1229 regulates mitochondrial morphology, mtDNA abundance as well as mitophagy, and that stimulation of mitochondrial metabolism rescues decreased calcium buffering in miR-1229-3p depleted neurons. Accordingly, miR-1229 directly targets an entire network of genes involved in mitochondrial function and ER-associated protein homeostasis. Our findings reveal an important function of human-specific miR-1229-3p in developmental timing of human synaptogenesis and generally implicate non-coding RNAs in the control of human connectivity and cognition.

Indexed as

MicroRNAsNeurogenesisSynapsesDNA, MitochondrialHumansInduced Pluripotent Stem CellsMitochondriaMitophagyNeurodevelopmentNeuronsSynaptic TransmissionDNA, MitochondrialMicroRNAs

Identifiers

PMID42409844
PMCPMC13473650

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.