Man and Ape The small difference

Description: Man and Ape: The small differenceResearch Field: Developmental and Evolutionary Biology/GeneticsOn the outside, humans and chimpanzees do not look much alike. Yet their genetic make-up (genome) differs by only 1.3 percent. Geneticists, however, have known for quite a while already that this is not what really counts: In order to ascertain the actual differences between both species, the translation of the genetic make-up in the building of proteins must be considered. That this is also possible is a new development, since the genetic make-up of our closest living relatives has only recently been identified in its entirety.Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig examined the activity of around 21,000 genes in the heart, liver, kidneys, testicles and brain of both species. The result: Of all organs, the difference between humans and chimpanzees is the smallest in the brain - at least with regard to the structure and activity of the genes. And that, even though we differ predominantly from chimpanzees through brain functions such as speech and memory.Copyright: © Deutsche WellePublished at ScienceStage.com in cooperation with the Max Planck Society.Involved Institutes: Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology