A study reveals that mice engineered with a human variant of the NOVA1 gene produce more complex chirps than typical rodents. This genetic variant, closely tied to cognitive evolution, hints at differences in speech and language capabilities between humans and their extinct relatives. Over 500,000 years, this mutation became widespread, implying its significant advantage in early human communication. The research builds on three decades of investigation into NOVA1's influence on brain functions, linking it to language disorders and suggesting the protein directs the expression of various genes crucial for advanced cognitive traits.
The mutation in the NOVA1 gene, present in nearly all humans, results in mice producing more complex chirps, possibly linking to human cognitive differences and language.
The manipulation of the NOVA1 gene in mice highlighted its unique role, suggesting that its protein controls gene expression critical for speech and possibly human language development.
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