Studies in knockout mice have demonstrated an important role of the FOXP2 transcription factor in the development of vocalisations. Recent sequence comparisons of the FOXP2 gene in Neanderthals and modern humans show that while the DNA sequence may be different, the protein sequence it codes for is identical. Which of the following conclusions might logically be inferred from this information?
A) There was a problem with the experiment because different DNA sequences cannot result in the same protein sequence.
B) The differences in DNA sequence support the hypothesis that Neanderthals were primitive beings that could only grunt.
C) Human and Neanderthal vocalisations may have been more similar than previously thought.
D) The experiments in mice demonstrating the function of the FOXP2 gene are not relevant to humans and Neanderthals because they are not primates.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that the protein sequence encoded by FOXP2 is identical in Neanderthals and modern humans despite differences in DNA sequence suggests that the gene is functionally conserved and likely played a similar role in both species. This supports the idea that Neanderthal vocalisations may have been more similar to those of modern humans than previously thought, potentially challenging previous assumptions about their communication abilities. A is incorrect because different DNA sequences can result in the same protein sequence due to redundancy in the genetic code. B and D are incorrect because they are unsupported by the information given.

Studies in Knockout Mice Have Demonstrated an Important Role of the FOXP2