Evolution’s DNA Difference: Noncoding gene tied to origin of human brain

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.