Brain Gene May Be What Makes Us Human

Humans have more copies of a possibly important brain gene in their genomes than other apes, a new study finds.
Called MGC8902, the gene is implicated in the function of the neocortex, the region of the brain that, in humans, is responsible for consciousness, language, and other higher cognitive functions.

The researchers compared the genomes of humans to several ape species, including chimpanzees, gorillas, macaques and baboons. They found that the more closely related the apes were to humans, the more copies of MGC8902 they had in their genomes. Humans had 212 copies of the gene; chimps had 37 copies and macaques 30.

Researchers in the current study predict MGC8902 encodes for multiple sections of a protein, called DUF1220, whose function is unknown but which is abundant in the neocortex and in particular subsets of brain cells.


SOURCE:
LiveScience.com

This i a very interesting discovery in my opinion.
If it turns out to be true, as it most likely is, it would mean that,
in a way are brains make us Human.


Comments, Opinions?

what would happened if say you copied lots of those genes to a chimp.. if possible.. would it become a smart chimp that could learn to talk.. ?
Planets of the apes anyone

what would happened if you altered the human genome to have more of these would you get another einstein or tesla.. or how do these work

[edit on 1-9-2006 by SilverSurfer]

Originally posted by SilverSurfer
what would happened if say you copied lots of those genes to a chimp.. if possible.. would it become a smart chimp that could learn to talk.. ?
Planets of the apes anyone?

what would happened if you altered the human genome to have more of these would you get another einstein or tesla.. or how do these work

Probably nothing and probably not.
We don't know exactly what these genes do, all we know is we have more of them than monkeys, and the closer you get to us on the primate tree the more exist.