Humans share over 90% of their DNA with their primate cousins. The expression or activity patterns of genes differ across species in ways that help explain each species' distinct biology and behavior.
DNA factors that contribute to the differences were described on Nov. 6 at the American Society of Human Genetics 2012 meeting in a presentation by Yoav Gilad, Ph.D., associate professor of human genetics at the University of Chicago.
Dr. Gilad reported that up to 40% of the differences in the expression or activity patterns of genes between humans, chimpanzees and rhesus monkeys can be explained by regulatory mechanisms that determine whether and how a gene's recipe for a protein is transcribed to the RNA molecule that carries the recipe instructions to the sites in cells where proteins are manufactured.
In addition to improving scientific understanding of the uniqueness of humans, studies such as the investigation conducted by Dr. Gilad and colleagues could have relevance to human health and disease.
"Through inter-species' comparisons at the DNA sequence and expression levels, we hope to identify the genetic basis of human specific traits and in particular the genetic variations underlying the higher susceptibility to certain diseases such as malaria and cancer in humans than in non-human primates," said Dr. Gilad.
Dr. Gilad and his colleagues studied gene expression in lymphoblastoid cell lines, laboratory cultures of immortalized white blood cells, from eight humans, eight chimpanzees and eight rhesus monkeys.
They found that the distinct gene expression patterns of the three species can be explained by corresponding changes in genetic and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms that determine when and how a gene's DNA code is transcribed to a messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule.
Dr. Gilad also determined that the epigenetics process known as histone modification also differs in the three species. The presence of histone marks during gene transcription indicates that the process is being prevented or modified.
"These data allowed us to identify both conserved and species-specific enhancer and repressor regulatory elements, as well as characterize similarities and differences across species in transcription factor binding to these regulatory elements," Dr. Gilad said.
Among the similarities among the three species were the promoter regions of DNA that initiated transcription of a particular gene.
In all three species, Dr. Gilad's lab found that transcription factor binding and histone modifications were identical in over 67% of regulatory elements in DNA segments that are regarded as promoter regions.
The researchers presentation is titled, "Genome-wide comparison of genetic and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms in primates."
FAQs
Up to 40 percent of the differences in the expression or activity patterns of genes between humans, chimpanzees and rhesus monkeys can be explained by regulatory mechanisms that determine whether and how a gene's recipe for a protein is transcribed to the RNA molecule that carries the recipe instructions to the sites ...
What do humans and chimpanzees share over of our DNA? ›
Humans and chimps share a surprising 98.8 percent of their DNA. How can we be so similar--and yet so different?
How the DNA from humans and chimpanzees are different? ›
After divergence of their ancestor lineages, human and chimpanzee genomes underwent multiple changes including single nucleotide substitutions, deletions and duplications of DNA fragments of different size, insertion of transposable elements and chromosomal rearrangements.
Why do humans and chimpanzees do not share similar phenotypes? ›
DNA sequences for human and chimpanzees are nearly identical, despite vast phenotypical differences between the two species. Researchers have determined that the insertion and deletion of large pieces of DNA near genes are highly variable between humans and chimpanzees and may account for these major differences.
Do monkeys and humans share genes? ›
Humans, chimpanzees and monkeys share DNA but not gene regulatory mechanisms. Humans share over 90% of their DNA with their primate cousins. The expression or activity patterns of genes differ across species in ways that help explain each species' distinct biology and behavior.
What DNA do humans and monkeys share? ›
Humans share over 90% of their DNA with their primate cousins. The expression or activity patterns of genes differ across species in ways that help explain each species' distinct biology and behavior. DNA factors that contribute to the differences were described on Nov.
What makes humans and chimpanzees different? ›
Humans differ from other primates by marked differences in cognitive abilities and a significantly larger brain. These differences correlate with metabolic changes, as evidenced by the relative up-regulation of energy-related genes and metabolites in human brain.
What is the closest animal to humans genetically? ›
Among the great apes, the chimpanzees and the bonobos are the most genetically related to us as we share about 98.7% of our DNA with them. We share a common ancestor with them as well as anatomical features, complex social hierarchies and problem-solving skills.
Has a human had a child with a chimpanzee? ›
There have been no scientifically verified specimens of a human–chimpanzee hybrid, but there have been substantiated reports of unsuccessful attempts to create one in the Soviet Union in the 1920s, and various unsubstantiated reports on similar attempts during the second half of the 20th century.
What is one key difference between chimpanzees and humans? ›
Even though chimpanzees have larger brains than most mammals, human evolution has helped the human brain grow three times as large as their non-human counterparts. The human brain's cerebral cortex contains twice as many cell types as a chimpanzee, affecting processes like memory and attention.
new studies have shown that we only share about 6 5 % of our DNA with a chimpanzee. the DNA we share is probably satellite DNA; the 2 % difference is actually in mitochondrial DNA.
Why can't chimpanzees breed with humans? ›
Humans and chimps have DNA that is 95 percent similar, and 99 percent of our DNA coding sequences are the same as well. However, humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes in our DNA, while chimps only have 22. The difference makes bearing healthy young difficult, and the offspring would be infertile.
Are humans 90% monkeys? ›
Our last common ancestor with monkeys lived between 25 and 30 million years ago, and we have only about 90% of our genes in common. Second, this here's a nice diagram showing the basic anatomy of humans, chimps, and some of our other near relatives.
What is the genetic similarity between humans and monkeys? ›
The chimpanzee and human genomes are strikingly similar and encode very similar proteins. The DNA sequence that can be directly compared between the two genomes is almost 99 percent identical.
What are the similarities and differences between chimpanzees and humans? ›
Chimpanzees are genetically closest to humans, and in fact, chimpanzees share about 98.6% of our DNA. We share more of our DNA with chimpanzees than with monkeys or other groups, or even with other great apes! We also both play, have complex emotions and intelligence, and a very similar physical makeup.
What do humans and chimps share in common? ›
Chimpanzees are genetically closest to humans, and in fact, chimpanzees share about 98.6% of our DNA. We share more of our DNA with chimpanzees than with monkeys or other groups, or even with other great apes! We also both play, have complex emotions and intelligence, and a very similar physical makeup.
What ancestor do humans and chimpanzees share? ›
The chimpanzee–human last common ancestor (CHLCA) is the last common ancestor shared by the extant hom*o (human) and Pan (chimpanzee and bonobo) genera of Hominini. Estimates of the divergence date vary widely from thirteen to five million years ago.
What traits do humans and chimpanzees share? ›
eLife digest. Like humans, animals have distinct personalities. Our close evolutionary cousins chimpanzees even display the same five major personality traits that we do – extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, openness, and agreeableness – as well as a distinct trait, for dominance.
