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Huang Wei research team with the Dept.
of Genetics under the Southern Section of National Human
Genome Research Center had not long ago completed the
genetic sequence comparisons between man and quadrumana such
as chimpanzee. The findings were published in the Journal of
American Institute of Sciences on July 8, 2003. This is
Chinese scientists' first systematic comparative study of
genomes of different human populations, the diversity of
genomes among different individuals and the evolutionary
kinship of human beings such as chimpanzee. On the basis of
the DNA specimen of human beings and chimpanzee, gorilla,
gibbon and macaque, researchers launched the genome
comparative study between human beings and chimpanzees in
the context of 127 genes on man's No. 21 chromosome.
Researchers analyzed the variations of genome sequences of
both man and chimpanzee and unveiled the structures and
functions of the genes on man's No. 21 chromosome. They
eventually spotted 3,003 sequence differences between man
and chimpanzee in the functional zone approaching
400kb.
in studying the sequence differences
between human beings and chimpanzees, researchers also found
that there exist some special sequence mutations in the
coding and control areas of human genes and the mutated
sequences may result in changes of protein structures and
expressions in the biological evolution process, playing an
important role in causing some pathological and
physiological symptoms uniquely possessed by human beings.
The findings have fully demonstrated the
theoretical importance of studying human genome sequence
mutation through population genomics and comparative
genomics. In addition to the contributions to the scientific
development, the study has provided important scientific
data and new research clues for exploring human beings'
unique characteristics and symptoms as well as a new
approach for identifying major genetic diseases.
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