Comparative Genomics

Comparative Genomics is a field of biological research in which the genomic features of different organisms are compared. In 1986, the first comparative study at a large scale was published, comparing the genomes of varicella-zoster virus and Epstein-Barr virus that contained more than 100 genes each. By comparing the finished reference sequence of the human genome with genomes of other organisms, researchers can identify regions of similarity and difference. This information can help scientists better understand the structure and function of human genes and thereby develop new strategies to combat human disease.

What Makes us Human? (Compare  to other primates)

The closest living relatives of humans are two chimpanzee species which are the chimpanzees and bonobos whereas we humans share a common ancestor about 5 to 7 million years ago.Another is an African ape, the gorilla,closely related to us, sharing a common ancestor 6 to 8 million years ago, while the common ancestor shared with the Asian orangutans lived some 12 to 16 million years ago. Many extinct groups related to human ancestors are so-called hominids. Of these, the one most closely related to us were the Neanderthals, they share a common ancestor in the order of 400,000 to 500,000 years ago and they existed in western Eurasia until they became extinct 30,000 years ago.Genomic comparisons of humans with related apes and hominids are important not only in order to better understand humans origins and the biological background in which sets humans apart from other organisms, but also for better understanding the basis for developmental problems that affect unique human traits, such as speech disorders, autism or schizophrenia.