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How Similar Are Human and Ape Genes? )article)
Institute for Creation Research ^ | May 2013 | Jeffrey Tomkins, Ph.D.

Posted on 05/02/2013 7:45:45 AM PDT by fishtank

How Similar Are Human and Ape Genes? by Jeffrey Tomkins, Ph.D. *

In the past, evolutionists have tried to prove human evolution by comparing only similar DNA segments between humans and apes—disregarding the non-similar DNA regions.1 Many evolutionary studies have involved the selective use of protein-coding segments in the genome called genes. But comparing just the genes of humans and apes produces much higher DNA similarities than many other regions of the genome would yield.

Surprisingly, a recent study compared chimpanzee chromosomes to their similar human-counterpart chromosomes using highly optimized DNA matching conditions and found that the chimpanzee genome was only 70 percent similar to human overall.2 But what about the protein-coding genes? In humans, less than 3 percent of the genome is thought to contain actual protein-coding sequence, while the rest of the genome is involved in controlling how genes work and other aspects of chromosome function.3

Of the genes that are found in both species, evolutionists have only reported on the sub-segments of the genes that are similar. Because of these highly selective studies, we really don’t know how similar human genes are to ape genes because non-similar data were discarded. Therefore, an extensive study is in progress at the Institute for Creation Research to compare a wide variety of primate gene data sets against a comprehensive database of known human gene variants.

So how does a scientist extract only the gene-based information from a genome? When protein-coding genes are active, they produce RNA copies of genes called transcripts or messenger RNAs (mRNA) that are used by the cell to make proteins. Using specialized techniques, these mRNAs can be captured and then sequenced. The mRNA sequences from one organism can then be compared to that of another to gauge how similar the genes are.

To create an exhaustive database of human genes, the DNA sequences of nearly nine million different human mRNA variants were downloaded from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) public database. Even though the human genome is thought to only contain about 22,000 genes, many different gene variants can be produced through a process called alternative splicing.4 After setting up the target human gene database, query data sets containing the gene sequences from a diversity of primates were also downloaded.

Although the study is just beginning, interesting patterns are beginning to emerge that challenge the standard evolutionary model of human origins. First, it looks as though all apes and monkeys contain significant portions of their genes that are very similar to parts of human genes. However, the primate genes also contain significant sections that are specific to their kind (e.g., chimp, gorilla, orangutan, etc.) that are not found in human genes.

While we are early in the research, the similarity in the statistics and patterns observed are not supportive of the standard Darwinian evolutionary dogma. Instead, the mosaic-type picture starting to emerge is that humans, along with each type of primate, were uniquely created “after their kind.” Because of similarities in physiology and overall general anatomical features between humans and primates, certain sections of programming code (DNA sequence) have been repeated—a logical prediction for any type of engineered system. Stay tuned as more details of the study will be revealed in the next issue’s Research Column.

References

Tomkins, J. and J. Bergman. 2012. Genomic monkey business— estimates of nearly identical human-chimp DNA similarity re-evaluated using omitted data. Journal of Creation. 26 (1): 94-100.

Tomkins, J. 2013. Comprehensive Analysis of Chimpanzee and Human Chromosomes Reveals Average DNA Similarity of 70%. Answers Research Journal. 6 (2013): 63-69.

Tomkins, J. 2012. Junk DNA Myth Continues Its Demise. Acts & Facts. 41 (11): 11-13.

Tomkins, J. 2012. The Irreducibly Complex Genome: Designed from the Beginning. Acts & Facts. 41 (3): 6.

* Dr. Tomkins is Research Associate at the Institute for Creation Research and received his Ph.D. in Genetics from Clemson University.

Cite this article: Tomkins, J. 2013. How Similar Are Human and Ape Genes? Acts & Facts. 42 (5): 9.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ape; creation; genes; human
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1 posted on 05/02/2013 7:45:45 AM PDT by fishtank
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To: fishtank
I love science when it is pure and the way things works are studied for the hows and whys. Hate it when religious overtones force the study down narrow lines that discard information that is unfavored.

Science in and of itself is a beautiful thing. But the history of science has always be clouded by the flat earthers, those who insist that only science that fits their narrow world view be studied. like Evolutionists.

When I was young, it was a big deal to work on a one meg memory bank for a computer. Now, with a lifetime of improvement we have memory banks that fit in your pocket that are big enough to write down the data contained in a single cell...

The design of creation is STUNNING.

2 posted on 05/02/2013 7:56:28 AM PDT by American in Israel (A wise man's heart directs him to the right, but the foolish mans heart directs him toward the left.)
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Honestly, I don’t care if we had the exact same genes as an ape. The truth is that there is no ape that has ever painted a Mona Lisa, sculpted a David, programmed a computer, started a business, composed a song, or written a book. The evolutionist makes a mistake based on his/her assumption that commonality in genes is evidence of their theory. Rather than look at it as a common building block used by our Creator, they shoehorn it into their godless paradigm and proclaim the truth of their lie. No, only a fool believes that we are just a suped-up monkey.


3 posted on 05/02/2013 7:59:22 AM PDT by Arkansas Toothpick
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To: fishtank

Are these writers stupid, or do they assume their audience is?

Genes are a very small subset of DNA. Human and Chimpanzee genes are very very similar. Human and Chimpanzee genomes are less similar. Humans and Chimpanzees are more similar in genetic DNA than either is to a gorilla. Humans and Chimpanzees are more similar in their genomes than either is to a gorilla.


4 posted on 05/02/2013 8:03:18 AM PDT by allmendream (Tea Party did not send GOP to D.C. to negotiate the terms of our surrender to socialism)
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To: Arkansas Toothpick

im with you A.T.


5 posted on 05/02/2013 8:06:27 AM PDT by raygunfan
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To: fishtank
Why do they continue spending money on this trying to prove we are related to apes...I believe God when he said we are made In his image..My God in heaven is not an ape so get that through your idiot heads..
6 posted on 05/02/2013 8:12:01 AM PDT by PLD
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To: fishtank
A complete analysis of the data would also include a comparison of widely divergent life forms. Man and butterfly, for example. We really don't know how similar one pairing is until we know how dissimilar the other is.
7 posted on 05/02/2013 8:15:55 AM PDT by GilesB
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To: fishtank

Michael Moore is the missing link.


8 posted on 05/02/2013 8:17:52 AM PDT by Darren McCarty (If most people were more than keyboard warriors, we might have won the election)
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To: fishtank

A novice would be hard pressed to tell the difference between human DNA and the DNA of broccoli. This is an absurd argument that does nothing but cloud the issue. There simply no comparison with Human and animal when it comes to intelligence or self consciousness.


9 posted on 05/02/2013 8:17:53 AM PDT by ontap
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To: American in Israel
Hate it when religious overtones force the study down narrow lines that discard information that is unfavored.

Or political.

10 posted on 05/02/2013 8:18:45 AM PDT by BitWielder1 (Corporate Profits are better than Government Waste)
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To: All

discounting similarity in DNA is like arguing humans do not have cells because an ameoba is a single cell organism.

similarity of DNA easily provides for similarity of structure in two arms, two legs, torso, head, heart, lungs, digestion, eyes, ears, etc.


11 posted on 05/02/2013 8:25:25 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Arkansas Toothpick
Obviously you are ignoring Modern Art and Modern Fiction. It could have easily been created by apes, chimps, and especially orangutans.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2011/03/08/how_to_tell_a_masterpiece_from_a_painting_by_a_monkey.html

12 posted on 05/02/2013 8:25:25 AM PDT by Kenny Bunk (The Obama Molecule: Teflon binds with Melanin = No Criminal Charges Stick)
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To: Arkansas Toothpick

I love your phrase “suped up monkey”.

What you’re observing in the “evolutionists’ mistake” is that they look at all evidence through the lens of the ASSUMPTION of evolution in order to say that the evidence supports their assumption.


13 posted on 05/02/2013 8:27:05 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: fishtank

14 posted on 05/02/2013 8:35:09 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (People are idiots.)
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To: allmendream
Are these writers stupid, or do they assume their audience is?

Jeffrey Tomkins, Ph.D. in Genetics from Clemson University.

"Twenty quatloos that the newcomer, within 5 posts, will claim Tomkins is not a real scientist."

15 posted on 05/02/2013 8:51:29 AM PDT by dartuser
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To: dartuser

Oh, yes, that’s another logic fallacy, called the “no true Scotsman” fallacy.

“No real scientist denies evolution”.

So, of course he’s not a “real scientist”, if your definition includes a requirement for a belief system.


16 posted on 05/02/2013 8:53:01 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: Arkansas Toothpick

In addition assuming 98% similarity between man and chimp genes one look is all it takes to note the great difference.


17 posted on 05/02/2013 8:54:27 AM PDT by AEMILIUS PAULUS (It is a shame that when these people give a riot)
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To: dartuser
Well good for him. He is either stupid or he is convinced his likely audience is.

The less educated someone is the more likely it is that they are a creationist. It seems that creationist sources are aware of this and write to the appropriate education level of their audience.

18 posted on 05/02/2013 8:55:58 AM PDT by allmendream (Tea Party did not send GOP to D.C. to negotiate the terms of our surrender to socialism)
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To: fishtank
To paraphrase David Berlinski’s story “ On the Derivation of Ulysses from Don Quixote ” –
Imagine that one novel "the Quixote” is the first and only novel in all creation (which is analogous to the first cell). Blind men copy this novel by hand over and over – during the transcription process, errors are made which create entirely new novels. The printing press is developed and mass copies are created along with more errors. Now new novels are also inadvertently being created en masse in new languages. Ultimately, all known works of literature from Ulysses to Tolstoy's The Death of Ivan Ilyich are accidently created from the one book - the Quixote.

There you have it – origin of man in a nutshell ; )

19 posted on 05/02/2013 9:00:19 AM PDT by Heartlander (Practice makes perfect if you mess up a few letters)
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To: AEMILIUS PAULUS

Yes, in MOST cases...
some democrat congresscritters come to mind...


20 posted on 05/02/2013 9:01:33 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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