Editorial Note: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. It is written using our own original words, structure, explanations, commentary, insights, opinions, and understanding. Readers are encouraged to exercise discretion and conduct their own due diligence when evaluating any information presented on this site.
Humans have approximately 20,000 to 25,000 genes, and they are all located in our Chromosomes. Genes are essential because they are a collection of DNA that act as the blueprint that will dictate a living organism’s characteristics, traits, and even defects. They contain the instructions on what someone’s hair or eye color would be, how tall they could get, and diseases that they might have inherited.
Genes are also important in the evolution of humans, from mutations and genetic variations that introduce new traits to their ability that allow these traits to be passed on to the next generation. These variations and inheritability give natural selection the possibility to choose the ideal characteristics that helped humans survive and reproduce. Now, a recent study has been published in Cell Reports that could suggest humans are not done evolving.
What Exactly Are Microgenes?
A study from Cell Reports has identified 155 brand-new genes unique to humans, suggesting evolution isn’t a thing of the past. These are genes that are called microgenes because they are extremely short compared to a regular gene.
A normal gene that codes for proteins ranges in length from about a few hundred to several million nucleotides, but these microgenes that were discovered are under 300 nucleotides. These are genes that did not form by duplicating the current genes, but rather have originated from scratch in unique DNA regions.
This highlights how our body could recreate completely new genetic instructions, and not just change the ones from the past. Furthermore, scientists have found that 44 out of the 155 microgenes code for cell development and growth, which indicates their importance. Microgenes are a relatively new discovery, and researchers are still conducting studies to understand them more.
Read more: Science Daily
Daily Recommended Resources
Affiliate Disclosure: This section contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. If you click one, we may earn a commission at no cost to you.
How Researchers Identified Them
The scientists who conducted the study compared human DNA with other vertebrates, which led to them finding out 155 new microgenes that arose from non-existent genes.
These are only possible because of the advanced sequencing technology that the researchers were able to use to detect micro changes in the genomes. The study was done in the Biomedical Sciences Research Center “Alexander Fleming” in Greece, together with Trinity College Dublin. They aimed to find out the potential roles of newly arising genes in human evolution.
What It Means for Human Evolution
Even after millions of years diverging from a common ancestor with chimpanzees and other apes, these discoveries of new microgenes prove that evolution is still happening in humans . Our genomes are constantly trying to adapt and innovate to find the best possible chance of survival.
This challenges the idea that human evolution has now plateaued because of modern technology and our lifestyle choices. However, genomes are dynamic and they will adapt to their environment over a long period of time. So, even in the future, we could probably expect changes in our genes and microgenes, as we continuously evolve.
Read more: Cell Reports
The Road Ahead: Why It Matters
So, why is the discovery of these 155 new microgenes important? It is because the more we understand the human body and genetic makeup, the better we would be able to fight off diseases and improve our health.
Human evolution is still ongoing, and these microgenes that arose from scratch tell us that changes will happen. Mutations, genetic variations, and biological disorders will arise; that is part of being human. This is also why the field of genomic research may become a cornerstone of the future.
Author's Final Thoughts
The discovery of 155 microgenes gives concrete proof that human evolution is ongoing, and we are not done changing. But do not mistake this process as something negative; evolution is neutral, and in most cases, our ally in adapting to this ever-changing world.
Read more: Scientists Find the World’s Wealthiest May Be Less Intelligent Than Lower-Paid People
References & Further Reading
Vakirlis, N., et al. (2022). De novo birth of functional microproteins in the human lineage. Cell Reports. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111808
Sandmann, C.-L., et al. (2023). Evolutionary origins and interactomes of human, young microproteins and small peptides translated from short open reading frames. Molecular Cell. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molcel.2023.01.023
An, N. A., et al. (2023). De novo genes with an lncRNA origin encode unique human brain developmental functionality. Nature Ecology & Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01925-6
Liao, W.-W., et al. (2023). A draft human pangenome reference. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-05896-x
Nurk, S., et al. (2022). The complete sequence of a human genome. Science. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abj6987
Daily Recommended Resources
Affiliate Disclosure: This section contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. If you click one, we may earn a commission at no cost to you.