Science says that our DNA is 85% similar to mice, 61% similar to fruit fly, and even 60% similar to banana, etc., then, we’re so much different in appearance. How does the remaining %, etc. able to make us who we are as different from other species we’re genetically similar to.

Question

Science says that our DNA is 85% similar to mice, 61% similar to fruit fly, and even 60% similar to banana, etc., then, we’re so much different in appearance. How does the remaining %, etc. able to make us who we are as different from other species we’re genetically similar to.

In: Biology

Answer 1

The short answer is that DNA is pretty huge and even the small remaining percent is quite significant. A lot of the DNA we share governs things that all living things do. Just to make a cell-shaped cell takes an incredible amount of DNA.

But the different stuff is interesting and also incredibly case specific. There is a gene family (Chunk of DNA) called Hox that controls the arrangement of animals on a head-tail axis that we obviously don’t share with bananas but we do share with mice.

A gene is a chunk of DNA that contains the instructions to build a protein (i.e. a simple biological machine). This protein can produce pigment and alter hair colour, or it can regulate other proteins and genes and have a massive effect.

I hope that helps. If you have more specific questions, ask away!