MAPK3 at the Autism-Linked Human 16p11.2 Locus Influences Precise Synaptic Target Selection at Drosophila Larval Neuromuscular Junctions.

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This study used fruit flies to show that the MAPK3 gene, located in the 16p11.2 region, plays a critical role in helping nerve cells connect to the right targets, and when this gene is less active (as in a deletion), those connections can go wrong in ways that may contribute to autism.