title: Cognitive Functions: Human vs. Animal - 4:1 Advantage |-FAM72-SRGAP2-|.
abstract: With the advent of computational genomics, an intensive search is underway for unique biomarkers for Homo sapiens that could be used to differentiate taxa within the Hominoidea, in particular to distinguish Homo from the apes (Pan, Gorilla, Pongo, and Hylobates) and species or subspecies within the genus Homo (H. sapiens, H. heidelbergensis, H. neanderthalensis, H. erectus, and the Denisovans). Here, we suggest that the |-FAM72-SRGAP2-| (family with sequence similarity 72/SLIT-ROBO Rho GTPase activating protein 2) gene pair is a unique molecular biomarker for the genus Homo that could also help to place Australopithecus at its most appropriate place within the phylogenetic tree and may explain the distinctive higher brain cognitive functions of humans.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimniro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 133-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Nguyen Thi Thanh
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, Kookmin University, 77 Jeongneung-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 136-702, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Pok-Son
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Information Systems, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 133-791, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kutzner
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimniro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, 133-791, Republic of Korea. klaus@hanyang.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Heese
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003071:Cognition; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005819:Genetic Markers; D015186:Hominidae / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins; D005819:Genetic Markers; C501995:SRGAP2 protein, human
keywords: Ape; Brain; Evolution; Homo; Neuron; Phylogenetic tree; Synapse; Taxonomy