Molecular Dating and Anthropogenetics of MicroRNAs in Segmentally-duplicated Regions: an Insight on the Origin of Human Intelligence

Abstract

We have reconstructed the hominid evolution line by dating the brain miRNA divergence in accordance with the developments of hominid intelligence after splitting from the chimpanzee line. Homology between human and chimpanzee brain miRNAs was determined and dated by obtaining their non-synonymous substitutions (Ks) over the past millions of years. A phylogenetic tree of miRNAs was constructed to verify if dates of segmental duplication is in accord in the sequence of emergence of miRNAs. Seven (7) miRNAs that have arisen from segment duplication events suggest human-specific genes that might have caused the intelligence of humans.