Science and Technology Daily, Beijing, May 28 (Reporter Liu Xia) According to a report by the physicist organization network on the 27th, Canadian researchers found that more than 20 genes that were previously thought to have similar effects in different organisms actually have humans. Uniquely, these genes belong to the C2H2 zinc finger transcription factor, a finding that helps explain how humans exist and evolve.

These genes encode proteins called "transcription factors" (TF, which control gene activity). The TF recognizes specific DNA codes called "motifs" and uses them to bind to DNA to turn genes on or off.

Previous studies have shown that TFs that look similar in different organisms will also bind to similar motifs, but a new study by the Timothy Hughes team at the Donnelley Center for Cell and Biomolecular Research shows that the situation is not always such. In this study, the Hughes team used the new calculation method to more accurately predict which TF would bind to which motif in different species. The results show that some subclasses of TF function much more than previously thought.

Research author Sam Lambert said: "This means that by regulating different genes, TF can have new functions, which may be important for differences between species."

Studies have shown that although chimpanzees and human genomes are 99% identical, dozens of TFs can recognize different motifs between two species in a way that affects the expression of hundreds of different genes. Lambert said: "We believe that these molecular differences may lead to differences between chimpanzees and humans."

The role of these genes remains unsolved, but it is well known that organisms with more different TFs also have more cell types that can be combined in novel ways to build more complex organisms.

Hughes believes that these zinc finger TFs may have a unique role: they may be responsible for human physiology and anatomy – such as the unique characteristics of our immune system and brain; in addition, these zinc fingers may be TF and gender dimorphism – countless visible But usually less obvious gender differences. These differences affect people's mate selection and birth, and have a profound impact on the individual's physiology. For example, the bear's tail or facial hair is the most typical example of this.

Source: Technology Daily

Guangzhou Zhongzhinan Supply Chain Co.,Ltd. , https://www.zhongzhinanlighting.com