Bhardwaj, TanujaTanujaBhardwajPatel, DhrumiDhrumiPatelDr Sharmistha Majumdar2025-08-282025-08-282025-01-012692-820510.1101/2025.01.17.633638http://repository.iitgn.ac.in/handle/IITG2025/19529Oligodendrocyte maturation and myelination are critical processes in human neurodevelopment, and their dysregulation is linked to numerous neurological disorders. While model organisms have provided insight into these processes, human-specific regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated human THAP9, a protein homologous to the Drosophila P-element transposase, whose function in oligodendrocytes remains unknown. An analysis of publicly available RNA-sequencing data and H3K27ac ChIP-sequencing data from oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) and mature oligodendrocytes (MOs) revealed significant upregulation of THAP9 during oligodendrocyte maturation. Co-expression analysis demonstrated a strong correlation with established markers of oligodendrocyte development, including myelin-associated genes (MOG, MBP) and key transcriptional regulators (PDGFRA, SOX5, SOX6, SOX11). THAP9 lacks homologues in mice, highlighting potential human-specific mechanisms in oligodendrocyte development and emphasising the importance of studying species-specific factors in neurodevelopment.. Our findings suggest that THAP9 is a novel human-specific regulator of oligodendrocyte maturation and opens new avenues for studying myelination disorders.en-USe-Printe-Print0123456789/315