Fig. 2. Diagrammatic representation of the impact of environmental factors on genomes within parental germlines and offspring.

ASD-associated toxicants (e.g., herbicides, heavy metals) can induce de novo mutations in parental germline cells which may be transmitted to offspring in the subsequent generation. For example, agent-induced double stranded breaks (DSBs) and impaired BRCA1-directed homologous recombination (HR) DNA damage response (DDR) can elicit de novo mutations and hamper their repair. Offspring may also acquire agent-induced mutations at later stages of development, resulting in somatic mosaicism. Gene(s) impacted by these processes can lead to aberrant neural development and functioning, contributing to the onset of ASD. Figure created with BioRender.com.