MicroRNAs are crucial post- transcriptional regulators of gene expression that are involved in a wide range of biological processes. Between species microRNAs are highly conserved, yet their functional implications of lineage specific changes determine differences between humans and other great apes. Although these differences have not been specifically addressed the work of this study provides a foundation to study the impact of the regulatory changes in the microRNAs may have in the recent evolution of our species. The attention this study focused on is the role that regulatory elements…