MSGID: 1:317/3 641d2764   
   PID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
   TID: hpt/lnx 1.9.0-cur 2019-01-08   
    Ancient genomes reveal immunity adaptation in early farmers    
      
     Date:   
         March 23, 2023   
     Source:   
         The Francis Crick Institute   
     Summary:   
         Research has revealed that diversity in genes coding for immunity   
         may have facilitated adaptation to farming lifestyles in prehistoric   
         periods.   
      
      
         Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email   
   FULL STORY   
   ==========================================================================   
   Research from the Francis Crick Institute published today in Current   
   Biology has revealed that diversity in genes coding for immunity may   
   have facilitated adaptation to farming lifestyles in prehistoric periods.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Researchers at the Ancient Genomics Laboratory at the Crick studied   
   available genome-wide DNA from 677 individuals dating to Stone Age Europe,   
   spanning the movement of Neolithic farmers from the Near East into Europe   
   about 8000 years ago, where they mixed with Mesolithic hunter-gatherers   
   already in Europe.   
      
   They were interested in whether any particular genes might have coded for   
   adaptations important to early farming groups, and looked for evidence   
   of rapid evolution in these populations.   
      
   Since about 20% of the ancestry of descendant late Stone Age people could   
   be traced to the local European hunter-gatherers, the researchers also   
   asked whether any particular genes showed evidence of more hunter-gatherer   
   ancestry.   
      
   They found that a large genetic region responsible for immune responses to   
   diseases -- the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) -- showed both the   
   strongest evidence of rapid evolution, and more Mesolithic hunter-gatherer   
   ancestry than expected, suggesting that genetic variants in the MHC   
   region already present in Europe were passed down preferentially.   
      
   It has previously been thought that the transition to farming was   
   associated with increased natural selection on immunity variants,   
   as people started living closer to animals and eating more animal   
   products. This research supports this view, but also shows that diversity   
   in immune genes may be just as important as adaptation to lifestyle.   
      
   The research team speculates that either the hunter-gatherers already had   
   genetic adaptations against bacteria, viruses or other microorganisms in   
   Europe, or that having many different forms of the genes was advantageous.   
      
   Tom Davy, PhD student at the Francis Crick Institute and lead author,   
   said: "It was really exciting to see for the first time that immunity is   
   important for the transition to farming in a prehistoric population. The   
   later Neolithic people had far more farmer ancestry in general, so we   
   expected to see the same at the MHC region, especially as many diseases   
   have been linked to Neolithic periods. But we saw about 50:50 ancestry   
   from Neolithic farmers and Mesolithic hunter-gatherers here, showing   
   that natural selection favoured genes from the hunter-gatherers already   
   in Europe.   
      
   "At the moment we're not quite sure whythis happened, but a proposal   
   is that the European hunter-gatherers had genetic variations which   
   allowed them to fight Europe-specific diseases. Or picking up a variety   
   of genes from both hunter-gatherers and farmers was beneficial because   
   it resulted in lots of diversity at this major group of genes, allowing   
   people to better fight off disease."  The team also confirmed results   
   from previous studies, showing that genes coding for skin pigmentation   
   showed the greatest representation for Neolithic farmer ancestry, with   
   these variations coming into Europe from the Near East.   
      
   This may be to maintain vitamin D levels when sources, such as diet and   
   exposure to sunlight, change.   
      
   Pontus Skoglund, Group Leader of the Ancient Genomics Laboratory at the   
   Crick, said: "The shift to farming was an important transition all over   
   the world, resulting in changing diets and exposure to infectious disease.   
      
   "Previous research has suggested that adaptation in genetic regions   
   relating to immunity, such as the MHC, has been important in recent time   
   periods, and this research now provides similar evidence for adaptation   
   in prehistory. By growing the ancient genomic record, we will be able   
   to better understand the role of immunity in other periods of the   
   human past."   
       * RELATED_TOPICS   
             o Earth_&_Climate   
                   # Geography # Ice_Ages # Sustainability # Climate   
             o Fossils_&_Ruins   
                   # Evolution # Cultures # Ancient_Civilizations #   
                   Charles_Darwin   
       * RELATED_TERMS   
             o Organic_farming_methods o Biodiversity o Gene o   
             The_evolution_of_human_intelligence o Mesozoic o Evolution o   
             Genetic_code o Shifting_cultivation   
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Story Source: Materials provided by The_Francis_Crick_Institute. Note:   
   Content may be edited for style and length.   
      
      
   ==========================================================================   
   Journal Reference:   
      1. Tom Davy, Dan Ju, Iain Mathieson, Pontus Skoglund. Hunter-gatherer   
         admixture facilitated natural selection in Neolithic European   
         farmers.   
      
         Current Biology, 2023; DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.02.049   
   ==========================================================================   
      
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/03/230323135519.htm   
      
   --- up 1 year, 3 weeks, 3 days, 10 hours, 50 minutes   
    * Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)   
   SEEN-BY: 15/0 106/201 114/705 123/120 153/7715 226/30 227/114 229/110   
   SEEN-BY: 229/111 112 113 307 317 400 426 428 470 664 700 292/854 298/25   
   SEEN-BY: 305/3 317/3 320/219 396/45   
   PATH: 317/3 229/426