New Study Provides Insight into Neanderthal DNA in Humans
A recent analysis of ancient genomes has shed light on the genetic legacy of Neanderthals in human populations across Europe and Asia. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, utilized a vast amount of data to track the presence of Neanderthal DNA with greater accuracy.
It is widely known that most people today carry a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA, the result of interbreeding between our ancestors and these ancient hominins. However, scientists have been puzzled by the higher abundance of Neanderthal DNA in East Asian populations, considering that Neanderthal remains have not been discovered beyond the Altai Mountains in Central Asia.
The research revealed that the proportion of Neanderthal DNA in Eurasian populations is roughly 2%, but can reach up to 4% in East Asian populations. This disparity led researchers from the University of Geneva to investigate further.
By analyzing over 4,000 ancient genomes, the team traced the distribution of Neanderthal DNA in populations from Europe and Asia. They concluded that the prevalence of Neanderthal ancestry in Asian populations must have developed relatively later, during the Neolithic transition when farming began to supplant hunting and gathering.
During this transition, the first farmers from Anatolia intermingled with existing hunter-gatherers in Western and Northern Europe. As a result, the proportion of Neanderthal DNA in European populations declined. This finding highlights the intricate genetic history of human populations and the impact of significant societal changes.
Aside from historical insights, the study could also have implications for modern medicine. Previous research has suggested that certain genetic traces inherited from Neanderthals could influence the health of modern humans, even affecting the course of diseases like Covid-19.
The new analysis provides a deeper understanding of Neanderthal DNA and its distribution across Europe and Asia. By scrutinizing ancient genomes, scientists have uncovered key information about human genetic history, offering valuable insights that may prove beneficial in medical research and broader population studies.
