Why do some mammals have an excellent sense of smell, others hibernate, and still others, including humans, are prone to disease?

International investigative The Zoonomy Project analyzed the genomes of 240 different mammals to answer these questions and more. The results of the program were published in eleven articles in the journal Science.

The importance of results for our health

The study, which involves more than 50 different institutions and 150 scientists from around the world, provides a wealth of information on the functioning and development of the genomes of mammals, including endangered species, over an evolutionary period of 100 million years. This analysis shows, among other things, which genetic changes have led to certain traits in different species and which mutations can cause diseases.

Understanding the genetic diversity of species can provide insight not only into the history of human evolution, but also into human health. Genes that are conserved in many species may indicate those that are necessary for normal functioning, and therefore, when mutated, can lead to disease.

Genetic variants and rare diseases

By conducting a detailed review and systematic comparison of genomes, the researchers identified regions of the human genome with functions that had not previously been identified. Mutations in them can play an important role in the origin of diseases or in the special characteristics of mammalian species. The results also revealed genetic variants that likely play a role in rare and common diseases, including cancer.

They also identified parts of the human genome that have remained unchanged after millions of years of evolution, providing information that could shed light on human health and disease, as well as genetic sequences that, although found in the genomes of most other mammalian species, have disappeared. in people. Some of these remote pieces of genetic information are closely related to genes involved in cognitive and neural functions. But instead of disrupting human biology, some of these deletions created a new genetic code that eliminated elements that would normally turn off genes, the researchers explain.

^{According to APE – MEB}