1982/03/19 by Jorge J. Yunis, Om Prakash · 683 citations
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Ancestor #Biological evolution #Biology #Chromosomal and Genetic Variations #Chromosome #Evolutionary biology #Gene #Genetics #Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Biomedical Research #Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics #Geography #Gorilla #Hominidae #Lineage (genetic) #Most recent common ancestor #Paleontology #Phylogenetic tree
paper · doi:10.1126/science.7063861
published in Science 215(4539), 1525-1530 (American Association for the Advancement of Science)
openalex publication_date 1982/03/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
Man, gorilla, and chimpanzee likely shared an ancestor in whom the fine genetic organization of chromosomes was similar to that of present man. A comparative analysis of high-resolution chromosomes from orangutan, gorilla, chimpanzee, and man suggests that 18 or 23 pairs of chromosomes of modern man are virtually identical to those of our "common hominoid ancestor", with the remaining pairs slightly different. From this lineage, gorilla separated fist, and three major chromosomal rearrangements presumably occurred in a progenitor of chimpanzee and man before the final divergence of these tow species. A precursor of the hominoid ancestor and orangutan is also assumed.