Genetic Errors Nixed Penis Spines, Enlarged Our Brains

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:34 am

Who would have guessed?

Bejerano’s team started by comparing the genomes of chimpanzees and macaque monkeys, which share a 20-million-year-old common ancestor. They identified regions that hadn’t changed in chimps, then compared these to corresponding stretches of the human genome. They found more than 500 mutations known as deletions, or stretches of DNA present in chimps but lost in humans.

Two deletions, one near a male hormone-signaling gene and another near a neural development gene, were especially intriguing. Tweaking those genes in mice suggested possible roles for the loss: eliminating penile spines and boosting cerebral cortex growth.

Source: Genetic Errors Nixed Penis Spines, Enlarged Our Brains | Wired Science | Wired.com

Snooz · Post by **Snooz** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 3:01 pm

I have no idea what a penile spine is and I'm afraid to google it.

Post by **spot** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 3:08 pm

SnoozeAgain;1355483 wrote: I have no idea what a penile spine is and I'm afraid to google it.

You never dated a rat?

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 3:14 pm

just read the article. They're similar to those tickle things on condoms.

Post by **spot** » Sun Mar 13, 2011 3:28 pm

Ahso!;1355488 wrote: just read the article. They're similar to those tickle things on condoms.

Though - let's be honest - they serve a different function.

Scrat · Post by **Scrat** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:54 pm

I hope taxpayers didn't fund this study. How about a cure for cancer?

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 2:54 pm

Scrat;1355627 wrote: I hope taxpayers didn't fund this study. How about a cure for cancer?We don't need a cure for cancer, we simply need to keep our vitamin d intake high enough. Cancer is preventable through vitamin d, not smoking tobacco and reducing alcohol intake.

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