"Tim Tyler" wrote
> Rich wrote or quoted:
>
> > Has anyone tried an experiment to change
> > the bonobo's FOXP2 allele to the human
> > version of FOXP2?
> >
> > Also, haver there been any experiments to
> > figure out if there is a way to make a hybrid
> > bonobo-human?  I.e., can we work out a
> > way to make offspring that include both
> > genomes?
>
> Perhaps search under the word "humanzee".
>
> http://www.gate.net/~rwms/hum_ape_chrom.html

Interesting comparison, thanks.


> ...explains the chromosomal differences that would be encountered.

A recent BBC web page discussed new findings about FOXP2
specifically, and the methylation of FOXP2 in humans versus
in Bonobos.  It seems there might be some ability to give Bonobos
better language capability in the brain by somehow methylating
the FOXP2 alleles.  If that could be done, Bonobos would still
not have the voice tract capabilities of humans, but they might
be better able to use language-like communications mechanisms,
such as sign languages, to test whether the language capabilities
have indeed been implemented in the brain.

It would be good to know another species has some ability to
communicate with us, even if we have to modify the Bonobo
genome incrementally to get them there.


> Today such a project would be technically challenging - but in the future
> we will be able to interbreed (at least genetically) with practically
> every other organism on the planet - including our cousins.
>
> I.e. technology will turn the biosphere's gene pool into one big melting
> pot - and horizontal gene transfer will see a dramatic resurgence - as
> a technology trade is established between previously-separated species.
> --
> __________
>  |im |yler  http://timtyler.org/  tim{at}tt1lock.org  Remove lock to reply.

Thanks for the insights,
Rich
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