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| Neanderthal |
Recent genetic analysis shows that at least two other extinct species of human, the Neanderthal and the Denisovans contributed to the DNA of people living today, suggesting that modern humans did in fact interbreed with other archaic humans. It seems as though Neanderthals and Denisovans, found predominantly in Europe and Asia interbred with modern humans, mixing our genes up together. Some of these modern humans with the newly acquired genes then brought them back to Africa about 10,000 years ago, giving modern humans global immunity to a lot of diseases.
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| Peter Parham Stanford University |
The research
The team focused their analysis on Human Leukocyte Antigen genes, or HLA genes for short. HLA genes evolve quickly and play an important role for our immune system, which helps us to fight disease. Peter and the team studied the genomes of Neanderthals and Denisovans and compared them with the modern human genome from different populations. From this they managed to paint a picture of our past.
He explained, during an interview with discovery news that a small group of modern humans, left Africa and colonized other continents. This small group would have had limited HLA diversity and suffered the consequences through infections from diseases they hadn't been exposed to before.
Interbreeding with the archaic humans local to their newly discovered continent, introduced new HLA variants into the modern human population, which helped to increase genetic viability and ability to resist infection.
He explained, during an interview with discovery news that a small group of modern humans, left Africa and colonized other continents. This small group would have had limited HLA diversity and suffered the consequences through infections from diseases they hadn't been exposed to before.
Interbreeding with the archaic humans local to their newly discovered continent, introduced new HLA variants into the modern human population, which helped to increase genetic viability and ability to resist infection.
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