Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
By New Historian
Contributor profile | More stories
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA in Modern Humans

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


A new study has provided new insights into the evolution and migration of modern humans, finding both Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA preserved in the genetic codes of the inhabitants of the Melanesian Islands of the Pacific Ocean.

Melanesia is a sub region of the Oceania continent, stretching from the western end of the Pacific Ocean to the Arafura Sea and eastward to Fiji. It includes four countries: Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Fiji and Papua New Guinea, as well as the islands of New Caledonia, West Papua and the Maluku Islands.

Two of the most pertinent questions of our prehistory are addressed by the new study. Firstly, exactly how and when humans came to populate the isolated islands of the Pacific, a genetically and linguistically diverse region whose development is shrouded in ambiguity. Secondly, the regularity, chronology and extent of breeding between humans and various early hominin species, such as Neanderthals.

The study, ‘Excavating Neandertal and Denisovan DNA from the genomes of Melanesian individuals’, has just been published by the journal Science. As part of the research, an international team of researchers compared the DNA of the two early human ancestor species, Neanderthals and Denisovans, with that of 35 modern day Melanesians living on islands off the coast of New Guinea.

Significant amounts of both Denisovan and Neanderthal DNA were identified in the genomes of the modern Melanesians.

D. Andrew Merriweather, a molecular anthropologist at Binghamton University, was involved in the initial collection of the samples used in the study, some fifteen years ago. “I’m surprised that these Neandertal and Denisovan genomes made it out to this remote place,” he said in a press release from Binghamton University. “We know people have been there for at least 48,000 years because we find human remains that go back that far, but no one has ever been able to connect them to any other place. When you compare most of their genome sequences, they don’t cluster with any other group. They’ve been there and been isolated for a very, very long time.”

A multitude of studies have examined the genetic crossover between Neanderthals and non-African populations, finding a genetic overlap of roughly 2 percent. Conversely, there is little to no Neanderthal or Denisovan ancestry among Africans. This latest study, led by Benjamin Vernot, is one of the first to develop an approach to identify DNA inherited from multiple archaic hominin ancestors and apply it to whole-genome sequences. It found an overlap between 1.9 and 3.4 percent in the genetic codes of the Melanesians and Denisovans.

This presence of Denisovan DNA is perhaps the most fascinating finding from the team’s research. Denisovan remains have only been found in isolated regions of Siberia, raising the questions as to how their DNA entered our gene pool, and how ancient humans traveled across the oceans to get to Melanesia.

“Most people know back a few generations, maybe five generations,” Merriweather said in the press release, “but where did we come from before that? That’s what we want to find out.”

The post Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA in Modern Humans appeared first on New Historian.


Source: http://www.newhistorian.com/neanderthal-denisovan-dna-modern-humans/6139/


Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!


Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST


Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!

HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.

Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.

MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)

Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser!  Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!

Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.

Smart Meter Cover -  Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).

Report abuse

    Comments

    Your Comments
    Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

    MOST RECENT
    Load more ...

    SignUp

    Login

    Newsletter

    Email this story
    Email this story

    If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

    If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.