Scientists identify the gene that makes our brains bigger

[Rohith_Kumar_Sp]

Mouse embryos have developed massive, fast-growing brains after receiving a dose of human DNA in the womb. Scientists suspect that the gene encoded by this DNA is what separates us from all other animals. 
 

Humans would be nothing without our remarkable brains. Despite sharing 98 percent of our DNA with chimpanzees, we’ve got much bigger brains, and they undergo a massive white matter growth explosion in the first two years of life, which means a super-fast proliferation of neural connections. Researchers have pinned this to why we’re so much more intelligent than our primate brethren, but it’s not actually clear where in our genetic make-up the instructions to make all this occur.  

 

To investigate, researchers at Duke University in the US picked over and compared areas of human and chimp DNA, focussing on ‘enhancer’ sequences, which are short bits of DNA that regulate the activity and expression of neighbouring genes. Several thousand enhancers are found in every genome, but in previous research, no one had found any that were specific to humans and linked directly to brain growth. 
 

In their initial screening, the team identified 106 enhancers that could be related to the difference in chimp and human brain growth. A closer analysis revealed that six of these sequences were located near genes thought to be involved in brain development. The group called them 'human-accelerated regulatory enhancers,' or HARE, and numbered them one through six. 
 

HARE5, in particular, was looking particularly special. When they inserted the sequence into mouse embryos, the mice grew brains that were 12 percent bigger than those of mouse embryos that received HARE5 sequences from chimpanzees. Which is pretty surprising, seeing as these enhancers only differ between chimps and humans by 16 letters in their genetic code.
 

While the difference in brain growth between the two groups of mouse embryos was initially very subtle, near the end of gestation, the burgeoning size of the brains enhanced by human DNA was noticeable to the naked eye. 
 

Debra Silver, the lead study author and an assistant professor of molecular genetics and microbiology at Duke, explained the results to Rachel Feltman at The Washington Post: 

"We discovered that the human DNA sequence, which only had 16 changes in it compared to the chimp sequence, was being expressed differently in mice. The human DNA was really able to accelerate the way the stem cells divide, 
and as a result, the mice were able to produce more neurons. HARE5 seems to promote the ability to create more neurons and increase brain size, which allows human brain development to take advantage of that.” 

 

 

Interestingly, the team reports in Current Biology that the region that was most affected by this hyper-growth in the mouse brains was the cerebral cortex, which is thought to be involved in language and reasoning skills.
 

"We're seeing differences in brain development, particularly in the structure of the brain that becomes the cerebral cortex," Silver told The Washington Post. "The cerebral cortex has an important function in decision making and thought in humans. We're definitely interested in testing whether it might affect memory or socialisation in mice.”

 

 

The question of how we got to be as intelligent as we are remains open, but we now have a fascinating little piece of DNA with which to investigate. And a potential army of malevolent rodent geniuses:

Source : http://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-identify-the-gene-that-makes-our-brains-bigger

[kpreg]

yyyyyyyyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssss

maybe with this they can make something to help me pass math

[Guest Kloaked]

It's not the size that counts.

[werto165]

ahhh I was going to post a pinky and the brain video... 

Edited February 22, 2015 by Ghost
Unnecessary Remark

[Guest Strangerbob]

It's not the size that counts.

 

It actually IS exactly that.

[Guest Kloaked]

It actually IS exactly that.

 

 

Size of the brain does play a pretty large role actually, but yes, it isn't everything.

 

I should have put a Lenny face.

[Toddwjp]

so theoretically if we spliced this into chimpanzees gorillas etc we could create planet of the apes level intelligent animals, since they already demonstrate the ability to learn sign language to communicate with us etc

[Rohith_Kumar_Sp]

related videos to see before you make a comment on size :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnlE9q5IEuI
 

Why Brain Size Doesn't Correlate With Intelligence

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-brain-size-doesnt-correlate-with-intelligence-180947627/?no-ist

[geogga]

what about the penis enlargement Kappa

[wyattzx]

It's not the size that matters. It's how you use it. 

[Tiber1337]

It's not the size that matters. It's how you use it. 

 

I'm sure you're expecting many likes with that post

[Trik'Stari]

Someone inject Kanye with this until he reaches normal levels of intelligence or his brain explodes, either are acceptable outcomes.

[SIGSEGV]

It's not the size that matters. It's how you use it.

[dragosudeki]

I really hope that this does not lead to parents being able to pick and choose talents/skills genes for their children.

[Lazmarr]

-snip-

INB4 half human half mouse beings become the next dominant life form ;P

[DuckDodgers]

INB4 half human half mouse beings become the next dominant life form ;P

Let's not give more stupid movie ideas to Marvel, shall we? <_<

[Yoinkerman]

are the mice any smarter?

[deviant88]

How much of that dna pill i must take to understand vector and quaternion math?

[Opcode]

How much of that dna pill i must take to understand vector and quaternion math?

Half a shot and you can do matrix multiplication of all square matrices in your head.

[Guest]

ohhhh

[Lazmarr]

are the mice any smarter?

They likely will be able to understand language to a degree but unfortunately they were all sacrificed since it's pretty much illegal to form a sentient being with mixed DNA

[Trik'Stari]

INB4 half human half mouse beings become the next dominant life form ;P

Can you say...."cat girls"?

 

I can't find an image of one on google images that wouldn't get me banned lol

[Speedyv]

I really hope that this does not lead to parents being able to pick and choose talents/skills genes for their children.

 

Please...

People get mad over genetically modified potatoes.

[Lazmarr]

-snip-

If anybody wants to, they can find the journal article over here http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822%2815%2900073-1

Bare in mind it's only a sample but you can read the full text by shelling out $31.50 >.>

[Lazmarr]

Can you say...."cat girls"?

 

I can't find an image of one on google images that wouldn't get me banned lol

Well it took a bit of digging but...I seem to have foudn one