Humans and Chimps shared 99% coding DNA. Should they be classified as the same genus?

Question

Since they are our closest living relatives, should they be reclassified from Pan to Homo?

To the guy who said we share brain cells with whales. WTF are you talking about? I said DNA, the stuff of evolution.

To the person who said that members of a genus must be able to interbreed. NO. It's members of a species, not genus. Jeez.

No, we don't share more DNA with a pig or banana than a chimp. Where do you get this garbage - from the pulpit? Certainly not from school (I hope).

Answer 1

I think they should, and I've heard credible biologists agree, but the general public wouldn't like that one bit.

Answer 2

Yeah, right. The Y chromosome is basically degenerate. This explains dirty old men and college fraternities. There are very few genes on the Y and they tend to be conserved. Most of the genetic information that makes us male is contained on other chromosomes. The Y is just an on-off switch. I know you're a math guy, so here is the math explanation (simplified). The evolution of the Y chromosome is really interesting stuff. Since the Y always appears as a singleton (except for XYY types), there is very little opportunity to exchange genetic material with other chromosomes such as the X. Accordingly, the few genes on the Y just stay there. Only genes that are absolutely necessary to flip the switch are conserved. The rest were lost eons ago. Mutations are minimal since that tend to be deleterious. This is why we can track mutations on the Y chromosomes and figure out migration routes (and how many offspring Genghis Khan had). This is also why the X can carry a color-blind gene and a bunch of other stuff and the Y cannot, and consequently why it is men who end up color blind and go bald. It is men who suffer most from all the sex linked genetic diseases. Since the Y chromo carries so little genetic material, men and women share virtually the same genetic material, but women have more of it. A better answer would be that women have 102% of the same DNA as men. lol

Answer 3

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn3744

quote:

"The latest twist in the debate over how much DNA separates humans from chimpanzees suggests we are so closely related that chimps should not only be part of the same taxonomic family, but also the same genus.

The new study found that 99.4 percent of the most critical DNA sites are identical in the corresponding human and chimp genes. With that close a relationship, the two living chimp species belong in the genus Homo, says Morris Goodman of Wayne State University in Detroit."

Answer 4

That doesn't mean a thing. They have similar body types so the known DNA is a lot alike. All living things have somewhat similar DNA. Humans and bananas share 50% coding DNA. Should we be classified just a little way down the line from a banana? Humans also share 97.5% coding DNA with mice.

Answer 5

No, I don't think so because the same genus must be able to successfully reproduce. and just 1% differences means a lot human DNAs are nearly 100% and so we normally round it to 100%

Answer 6

No, because they aren't the same genus. They're just related to us.

Why do Christians post such extremely "out there" questions?

Answer 7

yer right, whales have the same brain cells as a human too. take your pick are you a human, an ape, or, a whale !!

Answer 8

not at all.
there are many species which are almost identical to other species but for obvious reasons are classified separately. (e.g. gross morphological differences.)

cheerio

Answer 9

do u want urself to be called a chimp?

Answer 10

IT HAS BEEN PROVEN WE HAVE MORE DNA CODING WITH A PIG THEN WITH A CHIMP.