A new study shows that remnants of an ancient virus in the genome of chimpanzees can change the activity of genes effective in the growth of nerve cells; A finding that may help explain how the significant differences between the human and chimpanzee brains arise. Based on the findings of this study, Science News reported that DNA left over from an infection that occurred millions of years ago is still present in the genomes of chimpanzees, but is not seen in humans. The chimpanzee is one of humans' closest living relatives, but the human brain is roughly three times that of this animal and has more advanced cognitive abilities. However, according to Johan Jacobson, a neuroscientist at Lund University in Sweden, most of the genes for protein production in the two sexes are very similar. This similarity has led researchers to study parts of the genome that regulate when and where genes are turned on or off. The findings of this study were recently published in the journal "Science Progress". One of the factors that can affect this setting are viruses. A group of them called "retro virus".

A new study shows that remnants of an ancient virus in the genome of chimpanzees can change the activity of genes effective in the growth of nerve cells; A finding that may help explain how the significant differences between the human and chimpanzee brains arise. Based on the findings of this study, Science News reported that DNA left over from an infection that occurred millions of years ago is still present in the genomes of chimpanzees, but is not seen in humans. The chimpanzee is one of humans' closest living relatives, but the human brain is roughly three times that of this animal and has more advanced cognitive abilities. However, according to Johan Jacobson, a neuroscientist at Lund University in Sweden, most of the genes for protein production in the two sexes are very similar. This similarity has led researchers to study parts of the genome that regulate when and where genes are turned on or off. The findings of this study were recently published in the journal "Science Progress". One of the factors that can affect this setting are viruses. A group of them called "retro virus".