Human-Specific Protein Variant Linked to Evolution of Language

A single amino acid change in the NOVA1 protein may have influenced vocal communication in early modern humans.

Researchers identified a unique human-specific variant of the NOVA1 protein that may have played a role in the emergence of spoken language.
The study used CRISPR gene editing to introduce the human-specific NOVA1 variant into mice, altering their vocalization patterns in measurable ways.
The variant, characterized by a single amino acid substitution (I197V), is absent in Neanderthals and Denisovans but present in nearly all modern humans.
The human-specific NOVA1 variant appears to fine-tune RNA splicing in brain regions associated with vocalization without disrupting overall brain development.
The findings suggest that this genetic change may have conferred evolutionary advantages related to vocal communication, but further research is needed to explore its role in human speech complexity.