Israeli scientists reconstruct DNA control systems of ancient human brains

The scientists created an algorithm that reconstructs the epigenetic landscape of ancient brains—chemical modifications to DNA that influence gene activity without altering its sequence.

By THE MEDIA LINE STAFF NOVEMBER 21, 2024 17:30 Updated: NOVEMBER 21, 2024 17:31

CROSS-SECTIONAL T1-weighted MRI of a healthy human brain. (photo credit: WikimediaCommons/Asnaebsa)

Israeli researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed a groundbreaking genetic technique to reconstruct the DNA regulatory systems of ancient human brains, even in the absence of preserved brain tissue. Their findings, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, offer insights into human brain evolution, including its growth and advanced capabilities.

The scientists created an algorithm that reconstructs the epigenetic landscape of ancient brains—chemical modifications to DNA that influence gene activity without altering its sequence. This approach enables comparisons between ancient humans and modern humans, shedding light on the genetic changes that contributed to the brain’s tripling in size over the past 2 million years and its evolution of language and innovative thinking.

A major development

Traditional genetic studies have struggled to identify certain evolutionary changes because DNA sequences often remain the same across species. By focusing on epigenetic changes, the Hebrew University team uncovered over 1,850 sites with unique modifications. Some of these distinguished modern humans from both other ancient human species and chimpanzees, especially in genes linked to brain development, intelligence, and cognitive function.

Tamas Freund holds a human brain at the Institute of Experimental Medicine of Hungarian Academy of Science in Budapest (credit: REUTERS/LASZLO BALOGH)

Lead researchers noted that the method could be expanded to study evolutionary differences in other systems, such as the heart or skin, further bridging the gap between ancient and modern biology. The study highlights how epigenetic analysis can uncover previously invisible aspects of human evolution.