Genetic Links to Hereditary Blindness Shared by People and Monkeys

 

https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/identifying-genetic-causes-blindness-people-and-macaques 

https://www.nei.nih.gov/research-and-training/research-news/discovery-monkeys-could-lead-treatment-blindness-causing-syndrome 

Researchers at UC Davis have located a genetic mutation in rhesus macaques, a species of monkey primarily found in Asia, that is identical to a form of blindness found in humans.  The condition found in humans is called Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy pr ADOA for short.  Researchers discovered that the OPA1 gene in some macaques had mutated.  This mutation causes these monkeys to suffer from progressive vision loss and eye abnormalities that mirror ADOA symptoms.  Due to primates close relation to humans, these macaques can be used as a biological model to test treatments and therapies.  Finding a cure for these monkeys could lead humanity to a permanent cure for blindness through gene therapies and other medical treatments.  

Scientists added human brain genes in monkeys

 Scientists in China have been studying what the effects of adding human brain genes to monkeys would be.  In a recent article, it is mentioned that the scientists took the MCPH1 gene and introduced it into monkey embryos.  The five macaque monkeys were then tested and they performed better on short-term memory tests than the control group of monkeys did.  The tests also showed that their brains developed over a longer time period, which is similar to human brains.  The question they are after an answer to is how did humans develop our unique intelligence.  The scientists have already started to do more testing, this time adding the SRGAP2C gene but they do not have any results yet.  They also want to start implanting the FOXP2 gene, which is believed to be responsible for humans having the ability to speak.