CIC - Q&A

What is CIC? How was it discovered?

Capicua (CIC) is a transcriptional repressor. Transcriptional repressors bind to sites on DNA and prevent gene expression. CIC is involved in multiple developmental and physiological processes, including the development and function of the brain and lungs. Capicua was first discovered in 2000, when researchers found that a mutation in the CIC gene caused abnormalities in the development of fruit fly embryos. The name capicua is Catalan for “head and tail”, as the head and tail structures were formed in fly embryos lacking CIC, but most of the trunk was missing.

How similar is CIC across different species? Why do some studies use fruit flies and some studies use mice to examine the function of CIC?

The CIC genes in organisms such as fruit flies, mice, and humans are very similar. As a result of the similarities, these organisms can be used in scientific studies as biological models. Researchers can use these model organisms to study the function of CIC and the effects of mutations in the CIC gene.

Both fruit flies and mice are valuable models in research examining the functions of CIC. Mice are more anatomically and genetically similar to humans than flies. Mice are better for studying the effects on complex systems found in humans, such as the immune and nervous systems. On the other hand, fruit flies cost less and are easier to maintain than mice. Flies also require less space and reproduce faster, allowing researchers to keep larger populations and study multiple generations in a shorter period of time.