An ancient virus in chimpanzee DNA switches off a gene that is active in humans
An ancient viral insertion in chimpanzee DNA switches off a gene that remains active in humans during early brain development. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden demonstrate that a prehistoric pandemic dating back several million years may explain differences in brain evolution between humans and chimpanzees, despite sharing more than 96 percent of their protein-coding sequences. The human brain grows to roughly three times the size of a chimpanzee brain and performs distinct cognitive functions. When scientists removed the viral insertion in chimpanzee cells, it restored gene expression, offering clues to why human and chimpanzee brains developed differently.
Listen to Live Briefing
Real-time synthesized voice briefing · Live Feeds Desk
- ✓ An ancient virus in chimpanzee DNA switches off a gene that is active in humans.
- ✓ Humans and chimpanzees share more than 96 percent of the sequences used to make proteins.
- ✓ Researchers at Lund University in Sweden showed that a viral pandemic dating back several million years is likely part of the explanation for brain differences.
- ✓ An ancient viral insertion silences LINC00662 in chimpanzee cells, while the gene is active during early human brain development.
What changed
Researchers at Lund University revealed that an ancient viral insertion silences a specific gene in chimpanzee cells that is active in humans.
Live updates
-
Ancient Virus Silences Chimp Gene Active in Human Brains
An ancient viral insertion in chimpanzee DNA switches off a gene that remains active in humans during early brain development. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden demonstrate that a prehistoric pandemic dating back several million years may explain differences in brain evolution between humans and chimpanzees, despite sharing more than 96 percent of their protein-coding sequences. The human brain grows to roughly three times the size of a chimpanzee brain and performs distinct cognitive functions. When scientists removed the viral insertion in chimpanzee cells, it restored gene expression, offering clues to why human and chimpanzee brains developed differently.
Why it matters
Humans and chimpanzees share nearly all of their genetic sequences, creating a long-standing evolutionary mystery about how human brains grew significantly larger and more complex. Johan Jakobsson notes that pandemics are not confined to the modern age and can arise wherever animal or human populations are sufficiently large. This historical viral encounter left a genetic tweak that sheds light on the divergence of human and chimpanzee cognitive development.
What is confirmed
- An ancient virus in chimpanzee DNA switches off a gene that is active in humans.
- Humans and chimpanzees share more than 96 percent of the sequences used to make proteins.
- Researchers at Lund University in Sweden showed that a viral pandemic dating back several million years is likely part of the explanation for brain differences.
- An ancient viral insertion silences LINC00662 in chimpanzee cells, while the gene is active during early human brain development.
- Removing the viral insertion restored gene expression.
What to watch next
- Further experimental results involving human brain organoids and the restored chimpanzee gene.
- Additional genetic analyses regarding prehistoric viral insertions in primate genomes.
confidence 100%Sources used for this update (9)
- Phys.org — An ancient virus in chimpanzee DNA switches off a gene that is active in humans
- ScienceAlert — Tiny Genetic Tweak From An Ancient Virus Might've Prevented Chimpanzees From Developing Brains Like Ours
- Psychology Today — The Human Brain Owes Its Existence to a Prehistoric Pandemic
- Science News — Why did humans’ brains surpass chimps’? A tiny foe might help explain it
- Scientific Frontline — Ancient Virus Silences Chimp Brain Gene
- www.lunduniversity.lu.se — An ancient virus in chimpanzee DNA switches off a gene that ...
- www.miragenews.com — Ancient Chimp Virus Switches Off Gene Active in Humans
- www.labrujulaverde.com — Scientists Switch Back On a Chimpanzee Gene Silenced by a ...
- www.yahoo.com — Ancient viral DNA offers clues to why human and chimpanzee ...
Community Sentiment: How do you assess this situation?
Voice your perspective · Real-time aggregated sentiment from the Live Feeds community