Ancient virus in chimpanzee DNA switches off a gene active in humans

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have shown that a viral pandemic dating back several million years likely contributed to differences in brain development between humans and chimpanzees. A virus preserved in chimpanzee DNA switches off a gene that remains active in humans.

• Humans and chimpanzees share almost all their genes but differ in brain development
• The cause may be a viral pandemic from several million years ago
• In chimpanzee DNA the virus switches off a gene that stays active in humans