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Dementia & Neuropsychologia 2024The purpose of this review is to highlight the most important aspects of the anatomical and functional uniqueness of the human brain. For this, a comparison is made... (Review)
Review
The purpose of this review is to highlight the most important aspects of the anatomical and functional uniqueness of the human brain. For this, a comparison is made between our brains and those of our closest ancestors (chimpanzees and bonobos) and human ancestors. During human evolution, several changes occurred in the brain, such as an absolute increase in brain size and number of cortical neurons, in addition to a greater degree of functional lateralization and anatomical asymmetry. Also, the cortical cytoarchitecture became more diversified and there was an increase in the number of intracortical networks and networks extending from the cerebral cortex to subcortical structures, with more neural networks being invested in multisensory and sensory-motor-affective-cognitive integration. These changes permitted more complex, flexible and versatile cognitive abilities and social behavior, such as shared intentionality and symbolic articulated language, which, in turn, made possible the formation of larger social groups and cumulative cultural evolution that are characteristic of our species.
PubMed: 38628563
DOI: 10.1590/1980-5764-DN-2023-0078 -
Nature May 2024Human centromeres have been traditionally very difficult to sequence and assemble owing to their repetitive nature and large size. As a result, patterns of human...
Human centromeres have been traditionally very difficult to sequence and assemble owing to their repetitive nature and large size. As a result, patterns of human centromeric variation and models for their evolution and function remain incomplete, despite centromeres being among the most rapidly mutating regions. Here, using long-read sequencing, we completely sequenced and assembled all centromeres from a second human genome and compared it to the finished reference genome. We find that the two sets of centromeres show at least a 4.1-fold increase in single-nucleotide variation when compared with their unique flanks and vary up to 3-fold in size. Moreover, we find that 45.8% of centromeric sequence cannot be reliably aligned using standard methods owing to the emergence of new α-satellite higher-order repeats (HORs). DNA methylation and CENP-A chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments show that 26% of the centromeres differ in their kinetochore position by >500 kb. To understand evolutionary change, we selected six chromosomes and sequenced and assembled 31 orthologous centromeres from the common chimpanzee, orangutan and macaque genomes. Comparative analyses reveal a nearly complete turnover of α-satellite HORs, with characteristic idiosyncratic changes in α-satellite HORs for each species. Phylogenetic reconstruction of human haplotypes supports limited to no recombination between the short (p) and long (q) arms across centromeres and reveals that novel α-satellite HORs share a monophyletic origin, providing a strategy to estimate the rate of saltatory amplification and mutation of human centromeric DNA.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Centromere; Centromere Protein A; DNA Methylation; DNA, Satellite; Evolution, Molecular; Genetic Variation; Kinetochores; Macaca; Pan troglodytes; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Pongo; Male; Female; Reference Standards; Chromatin Immunoprecipitation; Haplotypes; Mutation; Gene Amplification; Sequence Alignment; Chromatin; Species Specificity
PubMed: 38570684
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07278-3 -
Nutrients Mar 2024The meat derived from mammals such as cows, sheep, and pigs is commonly referred to as red meat. Recent studies have shown that consuming red meat can activate the...
The meat derived from mammals such as cows, sheep, and pigs is commonly referred to as red meat. Recent studies have shown that consuming red meat can activate the immune system, produce antibodies, and subsequently develop into tumors and cancer. This is due to the presence of a potential carcinogenic compound in red meat called -ethanol neuraminic acid (Neu5Gc). Neu5Gc is a common sialic monosaccharide in mammals, synthesized from -acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) in the body and typically present in most mammals. However, due to the lack of the CMAH gene encoding the cytidine 5'-monophosphate Neu5Ac hydroxylase, humans are unable to synthesize Neu5Gc. Compared to primates such as mice or chimpanzees, the specific loss of Neu5Gc expression in humans is attributed to fixed genome mutations in CMAH. Although Neu5Gc cannot be produced, it can be introduced from specific dietary sources such as red meat and milk, so it is necessary to use mice or chimpanzees that knock out the CMAH gene instead of humans as experimental models. Further research has shown that early pregnancy factor (EPF) has the ability to regulate CD4T cell-dependent immune responses. In this study, we established a simulated human animal model using C57/BL6 mice with CMAH gene knockout and analyzed the inhibitory effect of EPF on red meat Neu5Gc-induced CMAH C57/BL6 mouse antibody production and chronic inflammation development. The results showed that the intervention of EPF reduced slow weight gain and shortened colon length in mice. In addition, EPF treatment significantly reduced the levels of anti Neu5Gc antibodies in the body, as well as the inflammatory factors IL-6 and IL-1β, TNF-α and the activity of MPO. In addition, it also alleviated damage to liver and intestinal tissues and reduced the content of CD4 cells and the expression of B cell activation molecules CD80 and CD86 in mice. In summary, EPF effectively inhibited Neu5Gc-induced antibody production, reduced inflammation levels in mice, and alleviated Neu5Gc-induced inflammation. This will provide a new re-search concept and potential approach for developing immunosuppressants to address safety issues related to long-term consumption of red meat.
Topics: Female; Animals; Humans; Mice; Cattle; Swine; Sheep; Pan troglodytes; Antibody Formation; Primates; Inflammation; Neoplasms; Red Meat; Mammals; Pregnancy Proteins; Suppressor Factors, Immunologic; Chaperonin 10
PubMed: 38542816
DOI: 10.3390/nu16060905 -
Primates; Journal of Primatology May 2024Tool use diversity is often considered to differentiate our two closest living relatives: the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and the bonobo (P. paniscus). Chimpanzees...
Tool use diversity is often considered to differentiate our two closest living relatives: the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and the bonobo (P. paniscus). Chimpanzees appear to have the largest repertoire of tools amongst nonhuman primates, and in this species, many forms of tool use enhance food and water acquisition. In captivity, bonobos seem as adept as chimpanzees in tool use complexity, including in the foraging context. However, in the wild, bonobos have only been observed engaging in habitual tool use in the contexts of comfort, play, self-directed behaviour and communication, whilst no tool-assisted food acquisition has been reported. Whereas captive bonobos use tools for drinking, so far, the only report from the wild populations comes down to four observations of moss sponges used at Lomako. Here, we present the first report of tool use in the form of water scooping by a wild bonobo at LuiKotale. An adult female was observed and videotaped whilst using an emptied Cola chlamydantha pod to scoop and drink water from a stream. We discuss the conditions for such observations and the importance of looking out for rare behaviours and attempt to put the observation into the context of the opportunity versus necessity hypotheses. By adding novel information on tool use, our report contributes to the ongoing efforts to differentiate population-specific traits in the behavioural ecology of the bonobo.
Topics: Animals; Female; Pan paniscus; Pan troglodytes; Tool Use Behavior; Hominidae; Food
PubMed: 38488904
DOI: 10.1007/s10329-024-01121-z -
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection... 2024Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) originate from ancestral germline infections caused by exogenous retroviruses. Throughout evolution, they have become fixed within the...
Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) originate from ancestral germline infections caused by exogenous retroviruses. Throughout evolution, they have become fixed within the genome of the animals into which they were integrated. As ERV elements coevolve with the host, they are normally epigenetically silenced and can become upregulated in a series of physiological and pathological processes. Generally, a detailed ERV profile in the host genome is critical for understanding the evolutionary history and functional performance of the host genome. We previously characterized and cataloged all the ERV-K subtype HML-8 loci in the human genome; however, this has not been done for the chimpanzee, the nearest living relative of humans. In this study, we aimed to catalog and characterize the integration of HML-8 in the chimpanzee genome and compare it with the integration of HML-8 in the human genome. We analyzed the integration of HML-8 and found that HML-8 pervasively invaded the chimpanzee genome. A total of 76 proviral elements were characterized on 23/24 chromosomes, including detailed elements distribution, structure, phylogeny, integration time, and their potential to regulate adjacent genes. The incomplete structure of HML-8 proviral LTRs will undoubtedly affect their activity. Moreover, the results indicated that HML-8 integration occurred before the divergence between humans and chimpanzees. Furthermore, chimpanzees include more HML-8 proviral elements (76 vs. 40) and fewer solo long terminal repeats (LTR) (0 vs. 5) than humans. These results suggested that chimpanzee genome activity is less than the human genome and that humans may have a better ability to shape and screen integrated proviral elements. Our work is informative in both an evolutionary and a functional context for ERVs.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Endogenous Retroviruses; Pan troglodytes; Proviruses; Genome, Human; Genomics
PubMed: 38456081
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1349046 -
Comparative Biochemistry and... 2024Ecometabolomics could be implemented as a powerful tool in molecular ecology studies, but it is necessary to know the baseline of certain metabolites and understand how...
Ecometabolomics could be implemented as a powerful tool in molecular ecology studies, but it is necessary to know the baseline of certain metabolites and understand how different traits could affect the metabolome of the animals. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to provide values for the nutritional metabolome profile of different diet groups and animal species, as well as to study the differences in the metabolomic profile due to the effect of diet type and species. To achieve this goal, blood samples were taken from healthy animals (n = 43) of different species: lion (Panthera leo), jaguar (Panthera onca), chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), bison (Bison bison), gazelle (Gazella cuvieri) and fallow deer (Dama dama), and with different types of diet (carnivore, herbivore and omnivore). Each blood sample was analysed to determine nutritional metabolites. The main results this study provides are the nutritional metabolic profile of these animals based on the type of diet and the animal species. A significant effect of the dietary type was found on nutritional metabolite levels, with those metabolites related to protein metabolism (total protein and creatine) being higher in carnivores. There is also an effect of the species on nutritional metabolites, observing a metabolome differentiation between lion and jaguar. In the case of herbivores, bison showed higher levels of uric acid and cholesterol, and lower urea levels than gazelle and fallow deer. More molecular ecology studies are needed to further the knowledge of the metabolism of these animals.
Topics: Animals; Herbivory; Deer; Lions; Bison; Antelopes; Diet; Metabolome; Panthera
PubMed: 38452851
DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2024.110965 -
PloS One 2024To address the issue of poor performance in the chimp optimization (ChOA) algorithm, a new algorithm called the manta ray-based chimpa optimization algorithm (MChOA) was...
To address the issue of poor performance in the chimp optimization (ChOA) algorithm, a new algorithm called the manta ray-based chimpa optimization algorithm (MChOA) was developed. Introducing the Latin hypercube method to construct the initial population so that the individuals of the initial population are evenly distributed in the solution space, increasing the diversity of the initial population. Introducing nonlinear convergence factors based on positive cut functions to changing the convergence of algorithms, the early survey capabilities and later development capabilities of the algorithm are balanced. The manta ray foraging strategy is introduced at the position update to make up for the defect that the algorithm is prone to local optimization, which effectively improves the optimization performance of the algorithm. To evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm, 27 well-known test reference functions were selected for experimentation, which showed significant advantages compared to other algorithms. Finally, in order to further verify the algorithm's applicability in actual production processes, it was applied to solve scheduling problems in three flexible workshop scenarios and an aviation engine job shop scheduling in an enterprise. This confirmed its efficacy in addressing complex real-world problems.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Algorithms; Aviation; Elasmobranchii; Empirical Research; Pan troglodytes
PubMed: 38451921
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298230 -
Nature Human Behaviour May 2024Cumulative cultural evolution has been claimed to be a uniquely human phenomenon pivotal to the biological success of our species. One plausible condition for cumulative...
Cumulative cultural evolution has been claimed to be a uniquely human phenomenon pivotal to the biological success of our species. One plausible condition for cumulative cultural evolution to emerge is individuals' ability to use social learning to acquire know-how that they cannot easily innovate by themselves. It has been suggested that chimpanzees may be capable of such know-how social learning, but this assertion remains largely untested. Here we show that chimpanzees use social learning to acquire a skill that they failed to independently innovate. By teaching chimpanzees how to solve a sequential task (one chimpanzee in each of the two tested groups, n = 66) and using network-based diffusion analysis, we found that 14 naive chimpanzees learned to operate a puzzle box that they failed to operate during the preceding three months of exposure to all necessary materials. In conjunction, we present evidence for the hypothesis that social learning in chimpanzees is necessary and sufficient to acquire a new, complex skill after the initial innovation.
Topics: Pan troglodytes; Animals; Social Learning; Male; Female; Cultural Evolution; Learning; Social Behavior
PubMed: 38448718
DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01836-5 -
Cognition May 2024The strength of human society can largely be attributed to the tendency to work together to achieve outcomes that are not possible alone. Effective social coordination...
The strength of human society can largely be attributed to the tendency to work together to achieve outcomes that are not possible alone. Effective social coordination benefits from mentally representing a partner's actions. Specifically, humans optimize social coordination by forming internal action models adapted to joint rather than individual task demands. To what extent do humans share the cognitive mechanisms that support optimal human coordination and collaboration with other species? An ecologically inspired joint handover-to-retrieve task was systematically manipulated across several experiments to assess whether joint action planning in chimpanzees reflects similar patterns to humans. Chimpanzees' chosen handover locations shifted towards the location of the experimenter's free or unobstructed hand, suggesting they represent the constraints of the joint task even though their individual half of the task was unobstructed. These findings indicate that chimpanzees and humans may share common cognitive mechanisms or predispositions that support joint action.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Pan troglodytes; Behavior, Animal; Cooperative Behavior
PubMed: 38412760
DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2024.105747 -
Emerging Infectious Diseases Mar 2024Despite zoonotic potential, data are lacking on enteric infection diversity in wild apes. We employed a novel molecular diagnostic platform to detect enteric infections...
Despite zoonotic potential, data are lacking on enteric infection diversity in wild apes. We employed a novel molecular diagnostic platform to detect enteric infections in wild chimpanzees and gorillas. Prevalent Cryptosporidium parvum, adenovirus, and diarrheagenic Escherichia coli across divergent sites and species demonstrates potential widespread circulation among apes in Africa.
Topics: Animals; Gorilla gorilla; Pan troglodytes; Cameroon; Tanzania; Cryptosporidiosis; Cryptosporidium; Escherichia coli
PubMed: 38407249
DOI: 10.3201/eid3003.230318