FOXP2
-The “Language Gene“-
Presentation by Melanie Selle
&
Hüseyin Balim
Outline
• Introduction
• Discovery
– KE-family
– Pedigree of the KE family
• Description of F0XP2
• Function
• FOXP2 in humanbeings
– Developmental dyspraxia
• FOXP2 in animals
– Songbirds
• Evolution Aspect and Scientific Background
– Scientists find gene 'switch' linked to speech – The importance of being human *
– Mice Given 'Human' Version of Speech Gene*
• Conclusion
• References
Central Questions
Why can just a single gene have such a huge impact on our language ability?
What really differs animal from human communication?
Discovery
• 1990 discovered by Myrna Gopnik
• During research on the KE family
KE family
• Affected family members exhibit specific language impairment
• Disorder is associated with a mutation in a single
autosomal-dominant gene
Pedigree of the KE family
Where is the FOXP2 gene located?
• Correlation of sets of small stretches of
DNA between affected and not-
affected members of the KE family
Variations in the small locus of the long arm of chromosome 7