In humans, deletions and duplications in the genome known as rare copy number variants (CNVs) are known to be associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, intellectual disability, and schizophrenia. While specific genes, both in these regions and elsewhere in the genome, are known to contribute to nervous tissue development, these genes could also have implications in general (not necessarily neuronal) tissue development. To explore this possibility, this study utilized the tissue specific RNAi knockdown of homologs of these genes in wing pouch tissue of Drosophila melanogaster to evaluate the effects on wing area. The homologs of 79 genes, categorized in 10 CNV regions or core neurodevelopmental gene categories, were studied in a high throughput manner. The results of this study indicate that 23 genes possibly contribute to the development of non-neuronal tissue in both male and female flies; however, further testing on additional lines would increase confidence in these conclusions.
