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Related Concept Videos

Synteny and Evolution02:31

Synteny and Evolution

John H. Renwick first coined the term “synteny” in 1971, which refers to the genes present on the same chromosomes, even if they are not genetically linked. The species with common ancestry tend to show conserved syntenic regions. Therefore, the concept of synteny is nowadays used to describe the evolutionary relationship between species.
Around 80 million years ago, the human and mice lineages diverged from the common ancestor. During the course of evolution, the ancestral chromosome underwent...
Multi-species Conserved Sequences02:51

Multi-species Conserved Sequences

Next-generation sequencing technologies have created large genomic databases of a variety of animals and plants. Ever since the human genome project was completed, scientists studied the genome of primates, mammals, and other phylogenetically distant living beings. Such large-scale  studies have provided new insights into the evolutionary relationship between organisms.
Although the genome of each species varies greatly from each other, a few sequences are highly conserved. Such conserved DNA...
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?02:05

Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?

The genomes of eukaryotes are punctuated by long stretches of sequence which do not code for proteins or RNAs. Although some of these regions do contain crucial regulatory sequences, the vast majority of this DNA serves no known function. Typically, these regions of the genome are the ones in which the fastest change, in evolutionary terms, is observed, because there is typically little to no selection pressure acting on these regions to preserve their sequences.
In contrast, regions which code...
Genetics of Speciation02:16

Genetics of Speciation

Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.The genetics of speciation involves the different traits or isolating mechanisms preventing gene exchange, leading to reproductive isolation. Reproductive isolation can be due to reproductive barriers that have effects either before or after the formation of a zygote. Pre-zygotic mechanisms prevent fertilization from occurring, and post-zygotic mechanisms...
Gene Duplication and Divergence02:37

Gene Duplication and Divergence

The seminal work of Ohno in 1970 popularized the idea of gene duplication and divergence. DNA sequence comparison studies reveal that a large portion of the genes in bacteria, archaebacteria, and eukaryotes was  generated by gene duplication and divergence, indicating its critical role in evolution.
The duplicated copies of the gene are called Paralogs. Paralogs with similar sequences and functions form a gene family. Across several species, a large number of gene families are characterized.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 1, 2026

Lineage Tracing and Clonal Analysis in Developing Cerebral Cortex Using Mosaic Analysis with Double Markers (MADM)
09:25

Lineage Tracing and Clonal Analysis in Developing Cerebral Cortex Using Mosaic Analysis with Double Markers (MADM)

Published on: May 8, 2020

Genomic sequence evolution underlying human neocortical interareal diversification.

Wei He1, Weizhen Hou1, Chengyong Jiang1,2

  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, State Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disorders, MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.

Genome Biology
|June 30, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Transposable elements (TEs) drive primate neocortical evolution by creating new regulatory elements and diversifying gene expression, enhancing brain complexity and cognitive abilities.

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A Comparative Approach for Quantitative Cell Counting Studies in Widely Different Mammalian Brains
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A Comparative Approach for Quantitative Cell Counting Studies in Widely Different Mammalian Brains

Published on: January 16, 2026

Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex
09:55

Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex

Published on: September 5, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 1, 2026

Lineage Tracing and Clonal Analysis in Developing Cerebral Cortex Using Mosaic Analysis with Double Markers (MADM)
09:25

Lineage Tracing and Clonal Analysis in Developing Cerebral Cortex Using Mosaic Analysis with Double Markers (MADM)

Published on: May 8, 2020

A Comparative Approach for Quantitative Cell Counting Studies in Widely Different Mammalian Brains
07:14

A Comparative Approach for Quantitative Cell Counting Studies in Widely Different Mammalian Brains

Published on: January 16, 2026

Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex
09:55

Large-scale Three-dimensional Imaging of Cellular Organization in the Mouse Neocortex

Published on: September 5, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Primate neocortical expansion underpins advanced cognition.
  • Molecular mechanisms of neocortical area specification are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the molecular and cellular basis of primate neocortical area specification.
  • Understand the role of transposable elements in brain evolution.

Main Methods:

  • Integrative multimodal analysis: single-nucleus multiomics, spatial transcriptomics, morphological and electrophysiological profiling.
  • Comparative analysis across humans, macaques, and mice.

Main Results:

  • Primates show enhanced area-specific cellular diversification, including unique neuron subtypes and increased complexity.
  • Expansion of young DNA sequences, enriched in transposable elements (TEs), correlates with primate neocortical heterogeneity.
  • TEs act as cis-regulatory elements, diversifying transcriptomes and creating novel transcription factor binding sites.

Conclusions:

  • Genomic and cellular mechanisms driving human neocortical evolution are illuminated.
  • Transposable elements play a key role in primate brain specialization and cognitive evolution.