some new primate genetics...

two interesting developments in primate/human genetics.

one group has found that some 700 human genes have changed significantly over the last 5 to 10k years. these genes are likely relevant for complex traits such as olfaction, bone structure, skin color and--of particular interest--neurological function...and some strange, lower-level functions, like electron transfer (see stories in nytimes and new scientist). the PLOS biology publication uses a novel analysis of new SNP data from the HapMap Project to demonstrate positive selection.

second, a letter to nature confirms a 30-year-old hypothesis that the phenotypic differences between humans and other primates are regulated by different transcription factors rather than entirely different genes. see reuters science news coverage.

obviously, these findings are consistent with one another. but it's funny that they point to two opposite evolutionary methods to bring about variation among species (changing gene regulation versus changing the genes themselves).