I found an interesting video about gene editing of mice leading to greater vocal complexity and communication in mice.
NOVA1 is a gene that encodes a protein found to be a master regular/controller of how our cells permute messenger RNA into a number of different protein structures via by facilitating different alternative splicings of messenger RNA (source). The wildtype variety of this in humans has been correlated with greater diversity of proteins inside cells.
The human NOVA1 gene has a single amino acid substitution vs the varieties found in our Neanderthal and Denisovan ancestors. It binds mRNA and modifies the translation of messenger RNA into proteins. When scientists took human stem cells converted into neuronal organoids and gave them the archaic Neanderthal version of the gene and compared them to the human version, they found the human version contained much higher protein diversity (from alternate splicing facilitated by human NOVA1) and changes to neuronal morphology. Mutations in this gene have been associated with learning and behavioral defects, such as "delay of language development, learning disabilities, motor hyperactivity and behavioral dysregulation" (source).
When this human NOVA1 gene was transfered to humanized mice, they found the vocalizations they used were much more high pitch, much more numerous, and much more complex than the humanized mice with the regular mouse NOVA1. Because of this NOVA1 has been deemed a strong candidate for helping to explain the origins of human language.
In the video the author claims the modified mice were less curious and experienced less joy, but I think that could be attributed to the fact that the mice with modified vocalizations were ignored more by their parents, which would damage emotional development and engagement, OSIT.
NOVA1 is a gene that encodes a protein found to be a master regular/controller of how our cells permute messenger RNA into a number of different protein structures via by facilitating different alternative splicings of messenger RNA (source). The wildtype variety of this in humans has been correlated with greater diversity of proteins inside cells.
The human NOVA1 gene has a single amino acid substitution vs the varieties found in our Neanderthal and Denisovan ancestors. It binds mRNA and modifies the translation of messenger RNA into proteins. When scientists took human stem cells converted into neuronal organoids and gave them the archaic Neanderthal version of the gene and compared them to the human version, they found the human version contained much higher protein diversity (from alternate splicing facilitated by human NOVA1) and changes to neuronal morphology. Mutations in this gene have been associated with learning and behavioral defects, such as "delay of language development, learning disabilities, motor hyperactivity and behavioral dysregulation" (source).
When this human NOVA1 gene was transfered to humanized mice, they found the vocalizations they used were much more high pitch, much more numerous, and much more complex than the humanized mice with the regular mouse NOVA1. Because of this NOVA1 has been deemed a strong candidate for helping to explain the origins of human language.
In the video the author claims the modified mice were less curious and experienced less joy, but I think that could be attributed to the fact that the mice with modified vocalizations were ignored more by their parents, which would damage emotional development and engagement, OSIT.
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