Evolution’s DNA Difference: Noncoding gene tied to origin of human brain
By Bruce Bower
Scientists have identified a gene that appears to have evolved rapidly in people and contributed to the emergence of the uniquely human brain.
Rather than coding for a protein, as about half of known genes do, the newly discovered gene regulates the assembly of an RNA molecule that ultimately affects cell migration to critical brain areas before birth, reports a team led by molecular biologist David Haussler of the University of California, Santa Cruz.
“We don’t know the exact molecular action of this gene yet,” Haussler says. “Overall, our data are consistent with the hypothesis that regulatory genes were important for human-brain evolution.”