Humans and Gorillas Closer Than Thought, Genome Sequence Says - Bloomberg
Gorillas have been portrayed as militaristic bullies in the Planet of the Apes movies and as “highly social gentle giants” by researcher Dian Fossey.
Now scientists say they’re closer genetically to humans than they once thought.
Sequencing the genome of a female western lowland gorilla named Kamilah determined that most gorilla DNA is similar or identical to those of humans, despite the 10 million-year gap since the two species split off, according to a report today in the journal Nature.
In 30 percent of the genome, the study determined that gorillas are closer to humans and chimpanzees than the latter two are to each other. It’s a finding that may help scientists track changes in how the species have responded over time to shared genetic characteristics, including diseases, the researchers said.
“If we can understand why they’re harmful in humans but not in gorillas, that would have useful medical implications,” said Chris Tyler-Smith, head of the human evolution team at Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton, England.
Gorillas are the last of the great ape genus to have their genome sequenced, the investigators said. The group saw changes in genes involved in sperm production and in the formation of keratin proteins in the skin.
Additionally, gene variants that in humans cause genetic disease don’t seem to affect gorillas similarly, said Tyler- Smith, one of the study’s authors.