Tech · 11 d ago
An ancient virus in chimpanzee DNA may help explain why human and chimp brains differ
A viral remnant left by an infection 5 million to 7 million years ago silences a gene called LINC00662 in chimpanzees. The same gene is active in humans and plays a role in early brain development.
What we know
- Viral DNA silences the gene in chimps
- Removing it turns the gene back on
Not yet
- Effect on real chimp brains
- Which other remnants matter
Removing the viral DNA switched the gene back on in chimp cells, and silencing it in human brain organoids lowered the activity of nerve-cell genes.
