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Mice Get Human Gene. Become Smart

FoxP2 may define Humanity, 500,000 year old gene

miceFoxP2, a “transcription factor,  has a mutation that occurred more than half a million years ago in our African Ancestors, and could be the key to the most distinctive feature or our race: language.

Foxp2  was first identified in a group of family members in England who had severe difficulties in speaking and understanding speech.  These people were found to carry a mutated version of Foxp2.  Foxp2, as a transcription factor, turns on genes involved in the regulation of connections between neurons.

Now scientists at MIT have placed the mutation in mice.  Mice were tested in a maze.  The mice with a humanized Foxp2 performed superiorly when required develop habitual routines

 


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