Unpacking the Complexity of Human DNA

[moriah]

TL;DR Summary

Supposedly, chimpanzees and humans share 99% of DNA. Does this mean that it is 1% of our DNA that delineates us from them? Also, how does this figure with the 2% of neanderthal DNA that most humans today have?

What is in our DNA that separates us from other primates?

 

[russ_watters]

Summary:: Supposedly, chimpanzees and humans share 99% of DNA. Does this mean that it is 1% of our DNA that delineates us from them? Also, how does this figure with the 2% of neanderthal DNA that most humans today have?

What is in our DNA that separates us from other primates?

You should google both of those factoids/questions to start. The numbers should be more precise. And your main question is pretty vague. I mean, you can see a lot of the similar and different traits, right?

 

[Laroxe]

I think the idea that each gene has a predictable and discrete function is a bit dated now, finding the same genes in different species doesn't necessarily mean they are doing the same thing. Many genes are capable of producing a number of protein products and operate in a regulatory network, It's how and when genes are expressed that produce the genotype. Genes provide information on relatedness but relatively small differences can lead to quite marked differences.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmolb.2018.00020/full