Bouncing genes: this is their amazing function

In question are the “Jumping Geniuses” making jumps through the human genome, copying and pasting itself. They do this in different areas of the animal and human organism. There has even been talk of the discovery of hopping genes in two genomes of the Octopus Such genes may have tasks
important, in fact, in the octopus brain.

The name of the “jumping geniuses” is also transposons They are strands of DNA that use their resources to find a different location in the genome. Transposons make up 45% of the human genome in various forms. Scientists thought they had no important function. Now, the new study may have brought some breakthroughs.

The “hopping genes” are regulated by the brain. Some scholars believe they may have a function in cognition and learning processes. Given the complexity of the human brain, it was not easy to prove this theory.

For example, the scientists examined the genome of an octopus, full of transposons, just like in humans. Used to be
in fact, the significant activity of a genetic element was detected in a key brain region of two
types of octopus. However, these animals and humans have no common ancestors, so it is inferred that both
evolved these brain genes to perform similar functions.

I literally jumped in my chair when I saw under the microscope a very strong signal of activity from this element in the vertical lobe, the brain structure that in the octopus is the seat of learning and cognitive skills, just like the hippocampus in the man.

Giovanna Ponte, Anton Dohrn Zoological Station

The studies are encouraging and promising, but it is still not certain whether the “hopping genes” are involved
in cognition and learning. The team is now looking forward to exploring such genes in the octopus as it is
similar to many animal brains. He wants to shed some light on their actual functions.