The evolution of FOXP2 in the light of admixture

Evolutionary changes in the genomic region of FOXP2 have been studied extensively. The functional consequences of changes in this gene - and larger networks in which it is embedded - might have contributed to human-specific cognitive and behavioral traits. Although humans and extinct archaic lineages share protein-altering changes in FOXP2 since the split from chimpanzees, other subsequent human-specific single nucleotide changes might have facilitated recent modern human traits. Recently, high-coverage genomes of archaic individuals allowed an assessment of the distribution of archaic hominin ancestry after their admixture with humans, revealing parts of the genome that are depleted for introgressed genetic material. One of the largest deserts of admixture encompasses FOXP2, suggesting incompatibilities between modern humans and other Homo lineages due to functional differences. No such desert is found around FOXP2 in other admixture events.