This report describes operant self-learning disorders, FOXP-related, a disease model using perturbations of the Drosophila FoxP gene. There are multiple paralogous FOXP genes in human; these genes are members of the P subfamily of the forkhead box transcription factor family and are involved in the regulation of many different developmental processes. Two of the human genes are implicated in disorders with similar or overlapping phenotypes: FOXP1 is implicated in a form of mental retardation with language impairment (MIM:613670, FBhh0000639) and FOXP2 is implicated in speech-language disorder 1 (MIM:602081, FBhh0000640). For the fly gene, Dmel\FoxP, an amorphic deletion allele, RNAi-targeting constructs, and hypomorphic alleles caused by insertional mutagenesis have been generated.
A UAS construct of the wild-type human Hsap\FOXP1 gene has been introduced into flies, but has not been characterized. The human FOXP2 gene has not been introduced into flies.
Loss of function of Dmel\FoxP, due to hypomorphic mutation or RNAi, disrupts operant self-learning and results in subtle changes in adult brain structure. This form of motor learning is compared to language acquisition, with which it shares several conceptually analogous features; a common ancestral pathway is postulated. Multiple physical interactions have been described for Dmel\FoxP; see below and in the FoxP gene report.
[updated Apr. 2020 by FlyBase; FBrf0222196]
The protein encoded by FOXP1 belongs to the P subfamily of the forkhead box transcription factor family. There are multiple transcript isoforms involved in the regulation of many different developmental processes. [Gene Cards, FOXP1; 2017.10.02]
The protein encoded by FOXP2 belongs to the P subfamily of the forkhead box transcription factor family. It is expressed in fetal and adult brain as well as in several other organs such as the lung and gut. [Gene Cards, FOXP2; 2017.10.02]
Many to one (4 human to 1 Drosophila); the human genes are FOXP1, FOXP2, FOXP3, and FOXP4.
Many to one (4 human to 1 Drosophila); the human genes are FOXP1, FOXP2, FOXP3, and FOXP4.
Moderate-scoring ortholog of human FOXP1, FOXP2, FOXP3, and FOXP4 (1 Drosophila to 4 human); Dmel\FoxP shares 38-43% identity and 50-54% similarity with the FOXP1, FOXP2, FOXP3 human genes; it is less closely related to FOXP4.
