The mutation was subtle—only one nucleotide removed from the typical FOXP2 sequence—but the resulting language impairment was substantial.
I wonder what kind of superpower-like abilities we're just one nucleotide away from.
OK, maybe "superpower" is too much. What I mean is this: what if the "normal" version of FOXP2 was the one without the nucleotide? People with that extra nucleotide would be seen as geniuses.
Well, as they wrote, the mice have this slightly-different FOXP2:
> just three amino acids distinguish the human version of the FOXP2 protein from that of mice. When he engineered the FOXP2 genes of mice to produce proteins with the two human FOXP2 amino acids, it resulted in functional differences in brain areas critical for carrying out fine motor tasks and controlling muscle movements, as well as altered function in regions involved in sending and receiving reward signals. […] mice with human FOXP2 learned faster than regular mice.
I found it quite funny that there's been all these news reports on FOXP2 being "the language gene", and then someone goes ahead and makes mice with human FOXP2. Unfortunately the mice did not learn to speak :-)
Was this a permanent or temporary effect on Algernon the mouse? If we continue the amino-acid mutation along the line of the difference between the mouse and human FOXP2, can we expect great things from Charlie?
So they have to become the Rats of NIMH for the experiment to be a success? Let us hope we never unintentionally go that far with an experiment. I would not want to create a cursed form of sentient life; if it is to be done it should be done to increase diversity and resistance to intelligence ending disasters.
I wonder what kind of superpower-like abilities we're just one nucleotide away from.
I think we're a little further away than that. Just think of a huge computer program. Modify one line of code in the right place and you introduce a showstopping bug. On the other hand, adding a random line of code anywhere in the program is unlikely to produce a complex new feature.
I wonder what kind of superpower-like abilities we're just one nucleotide away from.
OK, maybe "superpower" is too much. What I mean is this: what if the "normal" version of FOXP2 was the one without the nucleotide? People with that extra nucleotide would be seen as geniuses.