Re: Human-Chimpanzee Genome differences

From: Mark Walker (mark@permanentend.org)
Date: Sat Mar 15 2003 - 13:18:43 MST

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    Robert wrote:

    > This abstract/article suggests that the standard convention
    > of 98.5% identity between human and chimpanzee genomes needs
    > to be dropped to 95% due to insertions and deletions.
    >
    > Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2002 Oct 15;99(21):13633-5
    > Divergence between samples of chimpanzee and human DNA sequences is
    > 5%, counting indels.
    > Britten RJ.
    >
    >
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list
    _uids=12368483&dopt=Abstract
    >
    If memory serves we split from the common chimp about 5 million years ago.
    If the difference between us is 5% does this mean that we differ about 2.5%
    from our most recent common ancestor? Is there solid evidence to suggest
    that our genome differs more from our most recent common ancestor than
    chimps?

    Mark

    Mark Walker, PhD
    Research Associate, Philosophy, Trinity College
    University of Toronto
    Room 214 Gerald Larkin Building
    15 Devonshire Place
    Toronto
    M5S 1H8
    www.permanentend.org

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