- cross-posted to:
- science@lemmy.world
- cross-posted to:
- science@lemmy.world
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/36298939
New research reveals that the DNA switches controlling human finger development originated from genes that regulated fish cloacas 380 million years ago[1].
“Rather than building a new regulatory system for the digits, nature has repurposed an existing mechanism, initially active in the cloaca,” explains developmental geneticist Denis Duboule from the University of Geneva[1:1].
The research team discovered this by comparing fish and mouse genomes, focusing on Hoxd genes. When they tagged DNA switches with fluorescent markers, these lit up in mouse digits but in fish cloacas. Deleting these genetic elements using CRISPR-Cas9 disrupted finger development in mice and cloaca formation in fish[1:2].
“The common feature between the cloaca and the digits is that they represent terminal parts,” notes geneticist Aurélie Hintermann. “Sometimes they are the end of tubes in the digestive system, sometimes the end of feet and hands”[1:3].
You must log in or # to comment.
Early contender for the 2026 Ig Nobel prize.
I swear, we gotta be part of some higher-level organism’s weird science project
“Haha look at what I made the meat do!”
i’m gunna get some weird looks at my next party…
Does the host have an aquarium?
Every butthole is a fingering opportunity
I knew there was a reason my fingers are always drawn to them
How can anyone feel the perfect fit and deny intelligent design?
Do you like fish sticks?
Try finger but hole
Let’s take a moment to honor the uncountable horrors birthed oh so briefly into this world who’s combinations of ass and appendage genes weren’t so fortunate.
Fun fact: one of the earliest cell divisions after mammalian conception are the two sphincters that become the mouth and anus, with the latter being the first to generate. We’re all assholes in the beginning. Some of us grow out of that.
Wonder if this has implications for regrowing fingers.
Maybe even for regrowing fish assholes!
Unlimited calamari
So not “butter-fingers”, it’s actually “butt-fingers”.
Yeah no, fingers are for grabbing things that aren’t salmon assholes actually
Spiders Georg all over again smh
