Pre=ADvi=ADous stud=ADies in=ADdi=ADcat=ADed that a spread in the hu=ADman
var=ADi=ADant oc=ADcurred be=ADcause of strong ev=ADo=ADlu=ADtion=ADary
pres=ADsure less than 200,000 years ago, said the
in=ADsti=ADtute's Svante P=E4=E4bo.

Since the Ne=ADan=ADder=ADthal and mod=ADern hu=ADman lin=ADeages
branched apart more than 300,000 years ago,

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/071018_foxp2-neanderthal.htm


Study: Neanderthals had "language gene"

Oct. 18, 2007
Courtesy Cell Press
and World Science staff

Hu­mans' clos­est ex­tinct rel­a­tives, the Ne­an­der­thals, pos­sessed a
key gene var­i­ant be­lieved to be re­lat­ed to our abil­ity to speak,
re­search­ers have found. The dis­co­very, they said, shows that this
muta­t­ion arose much ear­li­er than sci­en­tists had sus­pected, and
raises at least the pos­si­bil­ity that Ne­an­der­thals could talk.

"From the point of view of this gene, there is no rea­son to think that
Ne­an­der­thals would not have had the abil­ity for lan­guage," said
Jo­han­nes Krause of the Max Planck In­sti­tute for Ev­o­lu­tion­ary
An­thro­po­l­ogy in Leip­zig, Ger­ma­ny, one of the sci­en­tists. He
not­ed, how­ev­er, that many oth­er as-yet-unknown genes might un­der­lie
lan­guage, so the is­sue re­mains un­re­solved.

The gene, called FOXP2, is the only one known to play a role in speech and
lan­guage, ac­cord­ing to the re­search­ers. Peo­ple who car­ry an
ab­nor­mal copy of the gene have speech and lan­guage prob­lems.

Pre­vi­ous stud­ies in­di­cat­ed that a spread in the hu­man var­i­ant
oc­curred be­cause of strong ev­o­lu­tion­ary pres­sure less than 200,000
years ago, said the in­sti­tute's Svante Pääbo. Since the Ne­an­der­thal
and mod­ern hu­man lin­eages branched apart more than 300,000 years ago,
"we would have guessed that these changes in FOXP2 would have hap­pened
af­ter we sep­a­rat­ed from Ne­an­der­thals," Pääbo said. He not­ed that
the hu­man ver­sion dif­fers from that of chimps in two places.

The researchers analyzed DNA from fos­sils found in a cave in north­ern
Spain of Nean­der­thals, an extinct sub­species of stocky hu­mans who
lived in Eur­ope and the Medi­ter­ra­nean area from around 100,000 to
30,000 years ago.

The study marks the first time a spe­cif­ic "nu­cle­ar" gene has been
re­trieved from Ne­an­der­thals, re­search­ers added. Nu­clear genes are
those that re­side in the cell nu­cle­us, the vast ma­jor­ity of our
genes. Oth­er, more spe­cial­ized genes re­side in cel­lu­lar
com­part­ments known as mi­to­chon­dria.

The find­ing opens the door to oth­er break­throughs in un­der­stand­ing
hu­man and Ne­an­der­thal ev­o­lu­tion, the re­search­ers said. "Leav­ing
out the un­likely sce­nar­i­o of gene flow [be­tween the two lin­eages],
this es­tab­lishes that these changes were pre­s­ent in the com­mon
an­ces­tor of mod­ern hu­mans and Ne­an­der­tals," they wrote. The study
is to be pub­lished on­line Oct. 18 in the re­search jour­nal Cur­rent
Bi­ol­o­gy.

* * *

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/071018_foxp2-neanderthal.htm
=20
=20
Study: Neanderthals had "language gene"
=20
Oct. 18, 2007
Courtesy Cell Press
and World Science staff
=20
Hu=ADmans' clos=ADest ex=ADtinct rel=ADa=ADtives, the Ne=ADan=ADder=ADtha=

key gene var=ADi=ADant be=ADlieved to be re=ADlat=ADed to our abil=ADity =

re=ADsearch=ADers have found. The dis=ADco=ADvery, they said, shows that =

muta=ADt=ADion arose much ear=ADli=ADer than sci=ADen=ADtists had sus=ADp=

at least the pos=ADsi=ADbil=ADity that Ne=ADan=ADder=ADthals could talk.
=20
"From the point of view of this gene, there is no rea=ADson to think that=

Ne=ADan=ADder=ADthals would not have had the abil=ADity for lan=ADguage,"=

Jo=ADhan=ADnes Krause of the Max Planck In=ADsti=ADtute for Ev=ADo=ADlu=

An=ADthro=ADpo=ADl=ADogy in Leip=ADzig, Ger=ADma=ADny, one of the sci=ADe=

how=ADev=ADer, that many oth=ADer as-yet-unknown genes might un=ADder=ADl=

so the is=ADsue re=ADmains un=ADre=ADsolved.
=20
The gene, called FOXP2, is the only one known to play a role in speech an=

lan=ADguage, ac=ADcord=ADing to the re=ADsearch=ADers. Peo=ADple who car=

ab=ADnor=ADmal copy of the gene have speech and lan=ADguage prob=ADlems.
=20
Pre=ADvi=ADous stud=ADies in=ADdi=ADcat=ADed that a spread in the hu=ADma=

oc=ADcurred be=ADcause of strong ev=ADo=ADlu=ADtion=ADary pres=ADsure les=

years ago, said the in=ADsti=ADtute's Svante P=E4=E4bo. Since the Ne=ADan=

mod=ADern hu=ADman lin=ADeages branched apart more than 300,000 years ago=

would have guessed that these changes in FOXP2 would have hap=ADpened af=

we sep=ADa=ADrat=ADed from Ne=ADan=ADder=ADthals," P=E4=E4bo said. He not=

ver=ADsion dif=ADfers from that of chimps in two places.
=20
The researchers analyzed DNA from fos=ADsils found in a cave in north=ADe=

Spain of Nean=ADder=ADthals, an extinct sub=ADspecies of stocky hu=ADmans=

in Eur=ADope and the Medi=ADter=ADra=ADnean area from around 100,000 to 3=

ago.
=20
The study marks the first time a spe=ADcif=ADic "nu=ADcle=ADar" gene has =

re=ADtrieved from Ne=ADan=ADder=ADthals, re=ADsearch=ADers added. Nu=ADcl=

those that re=ADside in the cell nu=ADcle=ADus, the vast ma=ADjor=ADity o=

Oth=ADer, more spe=ADcial=ADized genes re=ADside in cel=ADlu=ADlar com=AD=

as mi=ADto=ADchon=ADdria.
=20
The find=ADing opens the door to oth=ADer break=ADthroughs in un=ADder=AD=

hu=ADman and Ne=ADan=ADder=ADthal ev=ADo=ADlu=ADtion, the re=ADsearch=ADe=

out the un=ADlikely sce=ADnar=ADi=ADo of gene flow [be=ADtween the two li=

this es=ADtab=ADlishes that these changes were pre=ADs=ADent in the com=

an=ADces=ADtor of mod=ADern hu=ADmans and Ne=ADan=ADder=ADtals," they wro=

to be pub=ADlished on=ADline Oct. 18 in the re=ADsearch jour=ADnal Cur=AD=

Bi=ADol=ADo=ADgy.

http://www.world-science.net/othernews/071018_foxp2-neanderthal.htm


Study: Neanderthals had "language gene"

Oct. 18, 2007
Courtesy Cell Press
and World Science staff

Hu­mans' clos­est ex­tinct rel­a­tives, the Ne­an­der­thals, pos­sessed a
key gene var­i­ant be­lieved to be re­lat­ed to our abil­ity to speak,
re­search­ers have found. The dis­co­very, they said, shows that this
muta­t­ion arose much ear­li­er than sci­en­tists had sus­pected, and raises
at least the pos­si­bil­ity that Ne­an­der­thals could talk.

"From the point of view of this gene, there is no rea­son to think that
Ne­an­der­thals would not have had the abil­ity for lan­guage," said
Jo­han­nes Krause of the Max Planck In­sti­tute for Ev­o­lu­tion­ary
An­thro­po­l­ogy in Leip­zig, Ger­ma­ny, one of the sci­en­tists. He not­ed,
how­ev­er, that many oth­er as-yet-unknown genes might un­der­lie lan­guage,
so the is­sue re­mains un­re­solved.

The gene, called FOXP2, is the only one known to play a role in speech and
lan­guage, ac­cord­ing to the re­search­ers. Peo­ple who car­ry an
ab­nor­mal copy of the gene have speech and lan­guage prob­lems.

Pre­vi­ous stud­ies in­di­cat­ed that a spread in the hu­man var­i­ant
oc­curred be­cause of strong ev­o­lu­tion­ary pres­sure less than 200,000
years ago, said the in­sti­tute's Svante Pääbo. Since the Ne­an­der­thal and
mod­ern hu­man lin­eages branched apart more than 300,000 years ago, "we
would have guessed that these changes in FOXP2 would have hap­pened af­ter
we sep­a­rat­ed from Ne­an­der­thals," Pääbo said. He not­ed that the hu­man
ver­sion dif­fers from that of chimps in two places.

The researchers analyzed DNA from fos­sils found in a cave in north­ern
Spain of Nean­der­thals, an extinct sub­species of stocky hu­mans who lived
in Eur­ope and the Medi­ter­ra­nean area from around 100,000 to 30,000 years
ago.

The study marks the first time a spe­cif­ic "nu­cle­ar" gene has been
re­trieved from Ne­an­der­thals, re­search­ers added. Nu­clear genes are
those that re­side in the cell nu­cle­us, the vast ma­jor­ity of our genes.
Oth­er, more spe­cial­ized genes re­side in cel­lu­lar com­part­ments known
as mi­to­chon­dria.

The find­ing opens the door to oth­er break­throughs in un­der­stand­ing
hu­man and Ne­an­der­thal ev­o­lu­tion, the re­search­ers said. "Leav­ing
out the un­likely sce­nar­i­o of gene flow [be­tween the two lin­eages],
this es­tab­lishes that these changes were pre­s­ent in the com­mon
an­ces­tor of mod­ern hu­mans and Ne­an­der­tals," they wrote. The study is
to be pub­lished on­line Oct. 18 in the re­search jour­nal Cur­rent
Bi­ol­o­gy.

* * *