The cognitive and speech genes are jointly shaped by both positive and relaxed selection in the human lineage.

ABSTRACT

The emergence of a coordinated network of cognitive and speech genes in the human lineage performing overlapping functions is a great evolutionary puzzle. Prior studies on the speech gene FOXP2 are inconclusive on the nature of selection operating on this gene in the human lineage. Here, I show that the evolution of FOXP2 is accelerated in the human lineage due to relaxation of purifying selection (relaxed selection). Five potential genes associated with human-specific intelligence and speech genes have evolved under the impact of positive selection and three genes including FOXP2 have undergone relaxation of purifying selection in the human lineage. Overall, three evolutionary processes namely positive selection, relaxation of purifying selection and neutral evolution have contributed for the genomic evolution of extraordinary cognitive ability and speech in the hominin lineage. The cognitive and speech genes subjected to natural selection in the human lineage have demonstrated a coevolutionary trend.