The Human Mutation

eldavojohn writes "Scientists in China have announced finding the gene that makes us human. The article explains that prior work has shown that humans, as compared with the great apes from which we diverged over 5 million years ago, have a longer form of a protein (type II neuropsin) located in the pre-frontal cortex of the brain. From the article: 'Gene sequencing revealed a mutation specific to humans that triggers a change in the splicing pattern of the neuropsin gene, creating a new splicing site and a longer protein. Introducing this mutation into chimpanzee DNA resulted in the creation of type II neuropsin. "Hence, the human-specific mutation is not only necessary but also sufficient in creating the novel splice form," the authors state.' The team is urging further analysis of the extra 45 amino acids in type II neuropsin since they believe that chain may cause protein structural and functional changes. The research didn't link anything with this protein, simply identifying it as a very distinct difference between us and our closest cousins."

Comments

Re:Obligatory Planet of the Apes

[MightyYar]

Bush is the direct result of "Crossfire" style politics... expect to see a lot more like him in the future. I hope the scientists keep busy making monkey-spliced politicians.

I don't know why people have such a hard time seeing issues from the perspective of the other "side". I guess that it is easier to just write them off as evil idiots and move on.