1.5%
There is this oft repeated saying that the difference in protein coding sequences between chimps and humans is ONLY 1.5%. This supposedly means that we are not that different... Eh? If you do not believe your own eyes telling otherwise, do the math: About 75% of these substitutions will change the amino acid. The average length of a human protein is 485 amino acids. A 1.5% difference translates into 0.743 x 485 x 0.015 = 5.4 differences per protein. This is more than sufficient to change the properties of a protein.
(this crude estimate is from http://jerrycoyne.uchicago.edu/)
Some of these proteins are identical, which means that the rest differ MORE. The differences are by no means small. "Colossal" would be a better word. This does not include regulation, etc.
(this crude estimate is from http://jerrycoyne.uchicago.edu/)
Some of these proteins are identical, which means that the rest differ MORE. The differences are by no means small. "Colossal" would be a better word. This does not include regulation, etc.