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Yermakovich D, André M, Brucato N, Kariwiga J, Leavesley M, Pankratov V, Mondal M, Ricaut FX, Dannemann M. Denisovan admixture facilitated environmental adaptation in Papua New Guinean populations. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2405889121. [PMID: 38889149 PMCID: PMC11214076 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2405889121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Neandertals and Denisovans, having inhabited distinct regions in Eurasia and possibly Oceania for over 200,000 y, experienced ample time to adapt to diverse environmental challenges these regions presented. Among present-day human populations, Papua New Guineans (PNG) stand out as one of the few carrying substantial amounts of both Neandertal and Denisovan DNA, a result of past admixture events with these archaic human groups. This study investigates the distribution of introgressed Denisovan and Neandertal DNA within two distinct PNG populations, residing in the highlands of Mt Wilhelm and the lowlands of Daru Island. These locations exhibit unique environmental features, some of which may parallel the challenges that archaic humans once confronted and adapted to. Our results show that PNG highlanders carry higher levels of Denisovan DNA compared to PNG lowlanders. Among the Denisovan-like haplotypes with higher frequencies in highlander populations, those exhibiting the greatest frequency difference compared to lowlander populations also demonstrate more pronounced differences in population frequencies than frequency-matched nonarchaic variants. Two of the five most highly differentiated of those haplotypes reside in genomic areas linked to brain development genes. Conversely, Denisovan-like haplotypes more frequent in lowlanders overlap with genes associated with immune response processes. Our findings suggest that Denisovan DNA has provided genetic variation associated with brain biology and immune response to PNG genomes, some of which might have facilitated adaptive processes to environmental challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danat Yermakovich
- Center of Genomics, Evolution and Medicine, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu51010, Estonia
| | - Mathilde André
- Center of Genomics, Evolution and Medicine, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu51010, Estonia
| | - Nicolas Brucato
- Centre de Recherche sur la Biodiversité et l'Environnement, Université de Toulouse, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Toulouse Institut National Polytechnique, Université Toulouse 3–Paul Sabatier, cedex 9, Toulouse31062, France
| | - Jason Kariwiga
- Strand of Anthropology, Sociology and Archaeology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, PO Box 320, University 134, National Capital District, Papua New Guinea
- School of Social Science, University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD4072, Australia
| | - Matthew Leavesley
- Strand of Anthropology, Sociology and Archaeology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Papua New Guinea, PO Box 320, University 134, National Capital District, Papua New Guinea
- The Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage & College of Arts, Society and Education, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD4870, Australia
| | - Vasili Pankratov
- Center of Genomics, Evolution and Medicine, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu51010, Estonia
| | - Mayukh Mondal
- Center of Genomics, Evolution and Medicine, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu51010, Estonia
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel24118, Germany
| | - François-Xavier Ricaut
- Centre de Recherche sur la Biodiversité et l'Environnement, Université de Toulouse, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Toulouse Institut National Polytechnique, Université Toulouse 3–Paul Sabatier, cedex 9, Toulouse31062, France
| | - Michael Dannemann
- Center of Genomics, Evolution and Medicine, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu51010, Estonia
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2
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Roca-Ayats N, Maceda I, Bruque CD, Martínez-Gil N, Garcia-Giralt N, Cozar M, Mellibovsky L, Van Hul W, Lao O, Grinberg D, Balcells S. Evolutionary and functional analyses of LRP5 in archaic and extant modern humans. Hum Genomics 2024; 18:53. [PMID: 38802968 PMCID: PMC11131306 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-024-00616-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The human lineage has undergone a postcranial skeleton gracilization (i.e. lower bone mass and strength relative to body size) compared to other primates and archaic populations such as the Neanderthals. This gracilization has been traditionally explained by differences in the mechanical load that our ancestors exercised. However, there is growing evidence that gracilization could also be genetically influenced. RESULTS We have analyzed the LRP5 gene, which is known to be associated with high bone mineral density conditions, from an evolutionary and functional point of view. Taking advantage of the published genomes of archaic Homo populations, our results suggest that this gene has a complex evolutionary history both between archaic and living humans and within living human populations. In particular, we identified the presence of different selective pressures in archaics and extant modern humans, as well as evidence of positive selection in the African and South East Asian populations from the 1000 Genomes Project. Furthermore, we observed a very limited evidence of archaic introgression in this gene (only at three haplotypes of East Asian ancestry out of the 1000 Genomes), compatible with a general erasing of the fingerprint of archaic introgression due to functional differences in archaics compared to extant modern humans. In agreement with this hypothesis, we observed private mutations in the archaic genomes that we experimentally validated as putatively increasing bone mineral density. In particular, four of five archaic missense mutations affecting the first β-propeller of LRP5 displayed enhanced Wnt pathway activation, of which two also displayed reduced negative regulation. CONCLUSIONS In summary, these data suggest a genetic component contributing to the understanding of skeletal differences between extant modern humans and archaic Homo populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neus Roca-Ayats
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and IBUB, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) ISCIII, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Iago Maceda
- CNAG, Centre Nacional d'Analisi Genòmic, C/ Baldiri I Reixach 4, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos David Bruque
- Unidad de Conocimiento Traslacional Hospitalaria Patagónica, Hospital de Alta Complejidad El Calafate - S.A.M.I.C., Santa Cruz, Argentina
| | - Núria Martínez-Gil
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and IBUB, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) ISCIII, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Natàlia Garcia-Giralt
- Musculoskeletal Research Group, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), ISCIII, Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, UB, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mónica Cozar
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and IBUB, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) ISCIII, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Leonardo Mellibovsky
- Musculoskeletal Research Group, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Fragilidad y Envejecimiento Saludable (CIBERFES), ISCIII, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Wim Van Hul
- Center of Medical Genetics, University of Antwerp, 2650, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Oscar Lao
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Daniel Grinberg
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and IBUB, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) ISCIII, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Susanna Balcells
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística and IBUB, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) ISCIII, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu (IRSJD), Barcelona, Spain
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3
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Iasi LNM, Chintalapati M, Skov L, Mesa AB, Hajdinjak M, Peter BM, Moorjani P. Neandertal ancestry through time: Insights from genomes of ancient and present-day humans. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.13.593955. [PMID: 38798350 PMCID: PMC11118355 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.13.593955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Gene flow from Neandertals has shaped the landscape of genetic and phenotypic variation in modern humans. We identify the location and size of introgressed Neandertal ancestry segments in more than 300 genomes spanning the last 50,000 years. We study how Neandertal ancestry is shared among individuals to infer the time and duration of the Neandertal gene flow. We find the correlation of Neandertal segment locations across individuals and their divergence to sequenced Neandertals, both support a model of single major Neandertal gene flow. Our catalog of introgressed segments through time confirms that most natural selection-positive and negative-on Neandertal ancestry variants occurred immediately after the gene flow, and provides new insights into how the contact with Neandertals shaped human origins and adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo N. M. Iasi
- Department for Evolutionary Genetics, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig, 04301, Germany
| | - Manjusha Chintalapati
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley; Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Laurits Skov
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley; Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Alba Bossoms Mesa
- Department for Evolutionary Genetics, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig, 04301, Germany
| | - Mateja Hajdinjak
- Department for Evolutionary Genetics, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig, 04301, Germany
- The Francis Crick Institute; London, NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Benjamin M. Peter
- Department for Evolutionary Genetics, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig, 04301, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester; Rochester NY, 14620,USA
| | - Priya Moorjani
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California Berkeley; Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Center for Computational Biology, University of California Berkeley; Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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4
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Liu X, Koyama S, Tomizuka K, Takata S, Ishikawa Y, Ito S, Kosugi S, Suzuki K, Hikino K, Koido M, Koike Y, Horikoshi M, Gakuhari T, Ikegawa S, Matsuda K, Momozawa Y, Ito K, Kamatani Y, Terao C. Decoding triancestral origins, archaic introgression, and natural selection in the Japanese population by whole-genome sequencing. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadi8419. [PMID: 38630824 PMCID: PMC11023554 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi8419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
We generated Japanese Encyclopedia of Whole-Genome/Exome Sequencing Library (JEWEL), a high-depth whole-genome sequencing dataset comprising 3256 individuals from across Japan. Analysis of JEWEL revealed genetic characteristics of the Japanese population that were not discernible using microarray data. First, rare variant-based analysis revealed an unprecedented fine-scale genetic structure. Together with population genetics analysis, the present-day Japanese can be decomposed into three ancestral components. Second, we identified unreported loss-of-function (LoF) variants and observed that for specific genes, LoF variants appeared to be restricted to a more limited set of transcripts than would be expected by chance, with PTPRD as a notable example. Third, we identified 44 archaic segments linked to complex traits, including a Denisovan-derived segment at NKX6-1 associated with type 2 diabetes. Most of these segments are specific to East Asians. Fourth, we identified candidate genetic loci under recent natural selection. Overall, our work provided insights into genetic characteristics of the Japanese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxi Liu
- Laboratory for Statistical and Translational Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Clinical Research Center, Shizuoka General Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Satoshi Koyama
- Laboratory for Cardiovascular Genomics and Informatics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Medical and Population Genetics and Cardiovascular Disease Initiative, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Boston, MA, USA
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kohei Tomizuka
- Laboratory for Statistical and Translational Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Sadaaki Takata
- Laboratory for Genotyping Development, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yuki Ishikawa
- Laboratory for Statistical and Translational Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Shuji Ito
- Laboratory for Statistical and Translational Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases, RIKEN Center for Medical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Shunichi Kosugi
- Laboratory for Statistical and Translational Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kunihiko Suzuki
- Laboratory for Genotyping Development, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Keiko Hikino
- Laboratory for Pharmacogenomics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Masaru Koido
- Laboratory for Statistical and Translational Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Laboratory of Complex Trait Genomics, Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshinao Koike
- Laboratory for Statistical and Translational Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases, RIKEN Center for Medical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Momoko Horikoshi
- Laboratory for Genomics of Diabetes and Metabolism, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Takashi Gakuhari
- Institute for the Study of Ancient Civilizations and Cultural Resources, College of Human and Social Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Shiro Ikegawa
- Laboratory for Bone and Joint Diseases, RIKEN Center for Medical Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kochi Matsuda
- Laboratory of Genome Technology, Human Genome Center, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Laboratory of Clinical Genome Sequencing, Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukihide Momozawa
- Laboratory for Genotyping Development, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Kaoru Ito
- Laboratory for Cardiovascular Genomics and Informatics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yoichiro Kamatani
- Laboratory for Statistical and Translational Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Laboratory of Complex Trait Genomics, Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chikashi Terao
- Laboratory for Statistical and Translational Genetics, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama, Japan
- Clinical Research Center, Shizuoka General Hospital, Shizuoka, Japan
- The Department of Applied Genetics, The School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, Japan
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5
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Voinescu CD, Mozere M, Genovese G, Downie ML, Gupta S, Gale DP, Bockenhauer D, Kleta R, Arcos-Burgos M, Stanescu HC. A Neanderthal haplotype introgressed into the human genome confers protection against membranous nephropathy. Kidney Int 2024; 105:791-798. [PMID: 38367960 DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2024.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Class 2 HLA and PLA2R1 alleles are exceptionally strong genetic risk factors for membranous nephropathy (MN), leading, through an unknown mechanism, to a targeted autoimmune response. Introgressed archaic haplotypes (introduced from an archaic human genome into the modern human genome) might influence phenotypes through gene dysregulation. Here, we investigated the genomic region surrounding the PLA2R1 gene. We reconstructed the phylogeny of Neanderthal and modern haplotypes in this region and calculated the probability of the observed clustering being the result of introgression or common descent. We imputed variants for the participants in our previous genome-wide association study and we compared the distribution of Neanderthal variants between MN cases and controls. The region associated with the lead MN risk locus in the PLA2R1 gene was confirmed and showed that, within a 507 kb region enriched in introgressed sequence, a stringently defined 105 kb haplotype, intersecting the coding regions for PLA2R1 and ITGB6, is inherited from Neanderthals. Thus, introgressed Neanderthal haplotypes overlapping PLA2R1 are differentially represented in MN cases and controls, with enrichment In controls suggesting a protective effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cătălin D Voinescu
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, Department of Renal Medicine, UCL Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | - Monika Mozere
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Giulio Genovese
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mallory L Downie
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, Department of Renal Medicine, UCL Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sanjana Gupta
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, Department of Renal Medicine, UCL Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | - Daniel P Gale
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, Department of Renal Medicine, UCL Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | - Detlef Bockenhauer
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, Department of Renal Medicine, UCL Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | - Robert Kleta
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, Department of Renal Medicine, UCL Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mauricio Arcos-Burgos
- Grupo de Investigación en Psiquiatría, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Horia C Stanescu
- Centre for Genetics and Genomics, Department of Renal Medicine, UCL Division of Medicine, University College London, London, UK.
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6
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Groh JS, Coop G. The temporal and genomic scale of selection following hybridization. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2309168121. [PMID: 38489387 PMCID: PMC10962946 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2309168121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Genomic evidence supports an important role for selection in shaping patterns of introgression along the genome, but frameworks for understanding the evolutionary dynamics within hybrid populations that underlie these patterns have been lacking. Due to the clock-like effect of recombination in hybrids breaking up parental haplotypes, drift and selection produce predictable patterns of ancestry variation at varying spatial genomic scales through time. Here, we develop methods based on the Discrete Wavelet Transform to study the genomic scale of local ancestry variation and its association with recombination rates and show that these methods capture temporal dynamics of drift and genome-wide selection after hybridization. We apply these methods to published datasets from hybrid populations of swordtail fish (Xiphophorus) and baboons (Papio) and to inferred Neanderthal introgression in modern humans. Across systems, upward of 20% of variation in local ancestry at the broadest genomic scales can be attributed to systematic selection against introgressed alleles, consistent with strong selection acting on early-generation hybrids. Signatures of selection at fine genomic scales suggest selection over longer time scales; however, we suggest that our ability to confidently infer selection at fine scales is likely limited by inherent biases in current methods for estimating local ancestry from contiguous segments of genomic similarity. Wavelet approaches will become widely applicable as genomic data from systems with introgression become increasingly available and can help shed light on generalities of the genomic consequences of interspecific hybridization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey S. Groh
- Department of Evolution and Ecology and Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
| | - Graham Coop
- Department of Evolution and Ecology and Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, CA95616
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7
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Peyrégne S, Slon V, Kelso J. More than a decade of genetic research on the Denisovans. Nat Rev Genet 2024; 25:83-103. [PMID: 37723347 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-023-00643-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Denisovans, a group of now extinct humans who lived in Eastern Eurasia in the Middle and Late Pleistocene, were first identified from DNA sequences just over a decade ago. Only ten fragmentary remains from two sites have been attributed to Denisovans based entirely on molecular information. Nevertheless, there has been great interest in using genetic data to understand Denisovans and their place in human history. From the reconstruction of a single high-quality genome, it has been possible to infer their population history, including events of admixture with other human groups. Additionally, the identification of Denisovan DNA in the genomes of present-day individuals has provided insights into the timing and routes of dispersal of ancient modern humans into Asia and Oceania, as well as the contributions of archaic DNA to the physiology of present-day people. In this Review, we synthesize more than a decade of research on Denisovans, reconcile controversies and summarize insights into their population history and phenotype. We also highlight how our growing knowledge about Denisovans has provided insights into our own evolutionary history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Peyrégne
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Viviane Slon
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- The Dan David Center for Human Evolution and Biohistory Research, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Janet Kelso
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
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8
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Janivara R, Hazra U, Pfennig A, Harlemon M, Kim MS, Eaaswarkhanth M, Chen WC, Ogunbiyi A, Kachambwa P, Petersen LN, Jalloh M, Mensah JE, Adjei AA, Adusei B, Joffe M, Gueye SM, Aisuodionoe-Shadrach OI, Fernandez PW, Rohan TE, Andrews C, Rebbeck TR, Adebiyi AO, Agalliu I, Lachance J. Uncovering the genetic architecture and evolutionary roots of androgenetic alopecia in African men. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.12.575396. [PMID: 38293167 PMCID: PMC10827056 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.12.575396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Androgenetic alopecia is a highly heritable trait. However, much of our understanding about the genetics of male pattern baldness comes from individuals of European descent. Here, we examined a novel dataset comprising 2,136 men from Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa that were genotyped using a custom array. We first tested how genetic predictions of baldness generalize from Europe to Africa, finding that polygenic scores from European GWAS yielded AUC statistics that ranged from 0.513 to 0.546, indicating that genetic predictions of baldness in African populations performed notably worse than in European populations. Subsequently, we conducted the first African GWAS of androgenetic alopecia, focusing on self-reported baldness patterns at age 45. After correcting for present age, population structure, and study site, we identified 266 moderately significant associations, 51 of which were independent (p-value < 10-5, r2 < 0.2). Most baldness associations were autosomal, and the X chromosomes does not appear to have a large impact on baldness in African men. Finally, we examined the evolutionary causes of continental differences in genetic architecture. Although Neanderthal alleles have previously been associated with skin and hair phenotypes, we did not find evidence that European-ascertained baldness hits were enriched for signatures of ancient introgression. Most loci that are associated with androgenetic alopecia are evolving neutrally. However, multiple baldness-associated SNPs near the EDA2R and AR genes have large allele frequency differences between continents. Collectively, our findings illustrate how evolutionary history contributes to the limited portability of genetic predictions across ancestries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohini Janivara
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Ujani Hazra
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Aaron Pfennig
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Maxine Harlemon
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Biology, Morgan State University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michelle S Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Department of Human Genetics University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | | | - Wenlong C Chen
- Strengthening Oncology Services Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- National Cancer Registry, National Institute for Communicable Diseases a Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Paidamoyo Kachambwa
- Centre for Proteomic and Genomic Research, Cape Town, South Africa
- Mediclinic Precise Southern Africa, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Lindsay N Petersen
- Centre for Proteomic and Genomic Research, Cape Town, South Africa
- Mediclinic Precise Southern Africa, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Mohamed Jalloh
- Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal
- Université Iba Der Thiam de Thiès, Thiès, Senegal
| | - James E Mensah
- Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana
| | - Andrew A Adjei
- Department of Pathology, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Maureen Joffe
- Strengthening Oncology Services Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - Oseremen I Aisuodionoe-Shadrach
- College of Health Sciences, University of Abuja, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital and Cancer Science Centre, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Pedro W Fernandez
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Thomas E Rohan
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | | | - Timothy R Rebbeck
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Ilir Agalliu
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Joseph Lachance
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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9
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Velazquez-Arcelay K, Colbran LL, McArthur E, Brand CM, Rinker DC, Siemann JK, McMahon DG, Capra JA. Archaic Introgression Shaped Human Circadian Traits. Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:evad203. [PMID: 38095367 PMCID: PMC10719892 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
When the ancestors of modern Eurasians migrated out of Africa and interbred with Eurasian archaic hominins, namely, Neanderthals and Denisovans, DNA of archaic ancestry integrated into the genomes of anatomically modern humans. This process potentially accelerated adaptation to Eurasian environmental factors, including reduced ultraviolet radiation and increased variation in seasonal dynamics. However, whether these groups differed substantially in circadian biology and whether archaic introgression adaptively contributed to human chronotypes remain unknown. Here, we traced the evolution of chronotype based on genomes from archaic hominins and present-day humans. First, we inferred differences in circadian gene sequences, splicing, and regulation between archaic hominins and modern humans. We identified 28 circadian genes containing variants with potential to alter splicing in archaics (e.g., CLOCK, PER2, RORB, and RORC) and 16 circadian genes likely divergently regulated between present-day humans and archaic hominins, including RORA. These differences suggest the potential for introgression to modify circadian gene expression. Testing this hypothesis, we found that introgressed variants are enriched among expression quantitative trait loci for circadian genes. Supporting the functional relevance of these regulatory effects, we found that many introgressed alleles have associations with chronotype. Strikingly, the strongest introgressed effects on chronotype increase morningness, consistent with adaptations to high latitude in other species. Finally, we identified several circadian loci with evidence of adaptive introgression or latitudinal clines in allele frequency. These findings identify differences in circadian gene regulation between modern humans and archaic hominins and support the contribution of introgression via coordinated effects on variation in human chronotype.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura L Colbran
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Evonne McArthur
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Colin M Brand
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, SanFrancisco, California, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, SanFrancisco, California, USA
| | - David C Rinker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Justin K Siemann
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Douglas G McMahon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - John A Capra
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, SanFrancisco, California, USA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, SanFrancisco, California, USA
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10
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Harris DN, Platt A, Hansen MEB, Fan S, McQuillan MA, Nyambo T, Mpoloka SW, Mokone GG, Belay G, Fokunang C, Njamnshi AK, Tishkoff SA. Diverse African genomes reveal selection on ancient modern human introgressions in Neanderthals. Curr Biol 2023; 33:4905-4916.e5. [PMID: 37837965 PMCID: PMC10841429 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.09.066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Comparisons of Neanderthal genomes to anatomically modern human (AMH) genomes show a history of Neanderthal-to-AMH introgression stemming from interbreeding after the migration of AMHs from Africa to Eurasia. All non-sub-Saharan African AMHs have genomic regions genetically similar to Neanderthals that descend from this introgression. Regions of the genome with Neanderthal similarities have also been identified in sub-Saharan African populations, but their origins have been unclear. To better understand how these regions are distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, the source of their origin, and what their distribution within the genome tells us about early AMH and Neanderthal evolution, we analyzed a dataset of high-coverage, whole-genome sequences from 180 individuals from 12 diverse sub-Saharan African populations. In sub-Saharan African populations with non-sub-Saharan African ancestry, as much as 1% of their genomes can be attributed to Neanderthal sequence introduced by recent migration, and subsequent admixture, of AMH populations originating from the Levant and North Africa. However, most Neanderthal homologous regions in sub-Saharan African populations originate from migration of AMH populations from Africa to Eurasia ∼250 kya, and subsequent admixture with Neanderthals, resulting in ∼6% AMH ancestry in Neanderthals. These results indicate that there have been multiple migration events of AMHs out of Africa and that Neanderthal and AMH gene flow has been bi-directional. Observing that genomic regions where AMHs show a depletion of Neanderthal introgression are also regions where Neanderthal genomes show a depletion of AMH introgression points to deleterious interactions between introgressed variants and background genomes in both groups-a hallmark of incipient speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel N Harris
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Alexander Platt
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Matthew E B Hansen
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Shaohua Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Human Phenome Institute, Zhangjiang Fudan International Innovation Center, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, China
| | - Michael A McQuillan
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Thomas Nyambo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hubert Kairuki Memorial University, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Sununguko Wata Mpoloka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Botswana, Private Bag UB 0022, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Gaonyadiwe George Mokone
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Private Bag UB 0022, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Gurja Belay
- Department of Microbial Cellular and Molecular Biology, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Charles Fokunang
- Department of Pharmacotoxicology and Pharmacokinetics, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 337, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Alfred K Njamnshi
- Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), P.O. Box 25625, Yaoundé, Cameroon; Neuroscience Lab, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Sarah A Tishkoff
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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11
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Agata A, Ohtsuka S, Noji R, Gotoh H, Ono K, Nomura T. A Neanderthal/Denisovan GLI3 variant contributes to anatomical variations in mice. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1247361. [PMID: 38020913 PMCID: PMC10651735 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1247361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Changes in genomic structures underlie phenotypic diversification in organisms. Amino acid-changing mutations affect pleiotropic functions of proteins, although little is known about how mutated proteins are adapted in existing developmental programs. Here we investigate the biological effects of a variant of the GLI3 transcription factor (GLI3R1537C) carried in Neanderthals and Denisovans, which are extinct hominins close to modern humans. R1537C does not compromise protein stability or GLI3 activator-dependent transcriptional activities. In contrast, R1537C affects the regulation of downstream target genes associated with developmental processes. Furthermore, genome-edited mice carrying the Neanderthal/Denisovan GLI3 mutation exhibited various alterations in skeletal morphology. Our data suggest that an extinct hominin-type GLI3 contributes to species-specific anatomical variations, which were tolerated by relaxed constraint in developmental programs during human evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ako Agata
- Developmental Neurobiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Satoshi Ohtsuka
- Laboratories for Experimental Animals, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Ryota Noji
- Developmental Neurobiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Gotoh
- Developmental Neurobiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Katsuhiko Ono
- Developmental Neurobiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Tadashi Nomura
- Developmental Neurobiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
- Applied Biology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Kyoto, Japan
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12
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Velazquez-Arcelay K, Colbran LL, McArthur E, Brand C, Rinker D, Siemann J, McMahon D, Capra JA. Archaic Introgression Shaped Human Circadian Traits. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.03.527061. [PMID: 36778254 PMCID: PMC9915721 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.03.527061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Introduction When the ancestors of modern Eurasians migrated out of Africa and interbred with Eurasian archaic hominins, namely Neanderthals and Denisovans, DNA of archaic ancestry integrated into the genomes of anatomically modern humans. This process potentially accelerated adaptation to Eurasian environmental factors, including reduced ultra-violet radiation and increased variation in seasonal dynamics. However, whether these groups differed substantially in circadian biology, and whether archaic introgression adaptively contributed to human chronotypes remains unknown. Results Here we traced the evolution of chronotype based on genomes from archaic hominins and present-day humans. First, we inferred differences in circadian gene sequences, splicing, and regulation between archaic hominins and modern humans. We identified 28 circadian genes containing variants with potential to alter splicing in archaics (e.g., CLOCK, PER2, RORB, RORC), and 16 circadian genes likely divergently regulated between present-day humans and archaic hominins, including RORA. These differences suggest the potential for introgression to modify circadian gene expression. Testing this hypothesis, we found that introgressed variants are enriched among eQTLs for circadian genes. Supporting the functional relevance of these regulatory effects, we found that many introgressed alleles have associations with chronotype. Strikingly, the strongest introgressed effects on chronotype increase morningness, consistent with adaptations to high latitude in other species. Finally, we identified several circadian loci with evidence of adaptive introgression or latitudinal clines in allele frequency. Conclusions These findings identify differences in circadian gene regulation between modern humans and archaic hominins and support the contribution of introgression via coordinated effects on variation in human chronotype.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Laura L. Colbran
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
| | | | - Colin Brand
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco
| | - David Rinker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University
| | - Justin Siemann
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University
| | | | - John A. Capra
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco
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13
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Roca-Umbert A, Garcia-Calleja J, Vogel-González M, Fierro-Villegas A, Ill-Raga G, Herrera-Fernández V, Bosnjak A, Muntané G, Gutiérrez E, Campelo F, Vicente R, Bosch E. Human genetic adaptation related to cellular zinc homeostasis. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010950. [PMID: 37747921 PMCID: PMC10553801 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
SLC30A9 encodes a ubiquitously zinc transporter (ZnT9) and has been consistently suggested as a candidate for positive selection in humans. However, no direct adaptive molecular phenotype has been demonstrated. Our results provide evidence for directional selection operating in two major complementary haplotypes in Africa and East Asia. These haplotypes are associated with differential gene expression but also differ in the Met50Val substitution (rs1047626) in ZnT9, which we show is found in homozygosis in the Denisovan genome and displays accompanying signatures suggestive of archaic introgression. Although we found no significant differences in systemic zinc content between individuals with different rs1047626 genotypes, we demonstrate that the expression of the derived isoform (ZnT9 50Val) in HEK293 cells shows a gain of function when compared with the ancestral (ZnT9 50Met) variant. Notably, the ZnT9 50Val variant was found associated with differences in zinc handling by the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum, with an impact on mitochondrial metabolism. Given the essential role of the mitochondria in skeletal muscle and since the derived allele at rs1047626 is known to be associated with greater susceptibility to several neuropsychiatric traits, we propose that adaptation to cold may have driven this selection event, while also impacting predisposition to neuropsychiatric disorders in modern humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Roca-Umbert
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Departament de Medicina i Ciències de la Vida, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jorge Garcia-Calleja
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Departament de Medicina i Ciències de la Vida, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marina Vogel-González
- Laboratory of Molecular Physiology, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alejandro Fierro-Villegas
- Laboratory of Molecular Physiology, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gerard Ill-Raga
- Laboratory of Molecular Physiology, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Víctor Herrera-Fernández
- Laboratory of Molecular Physiology, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anja Bosnjak
- Laboratory of Molecular Physiology, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gerard Muntané
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Departament de Medicina i Ciències de la Vida, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Hospital Universitari Institut Pere Mata, IISPV, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Reus, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Esteban Gutiérrez
- Laboratory of Molecular Physiology, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Felix Campelo
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rubén Vicente
- Laboratory of Molecular Physiology, Department of Medicine and Life Sciences (MELIS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elena Bosch
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (UPF-CSIC), Departament de Medicina i Ciències de la Vida, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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14
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Ruan J, Timmermann A, Raia P, Yun KS, Zeller E, Mondanaro A, Di Febbraro M, Lemmon D, Castiglione S, Melchionna M. Climate shifts orchestrated hominin interbreeding events across Eurasia. Science 2023; 381:699-704. [PMID: 37561879 DOI: 10.1126/science.add4459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
When, where, and how often hominin interbreeding happened is largely unknown. We study the potential for Neanderthal-Denisovan admixture using species distribution models that integrate extensive fossil, archaeological, and genetic data with transient coupled general circulation model simulations of global climate and biomes. Our Pleistocene hindcast of past hominins' habitat suitability reveals pronounced climate-driven zonal shifts in the main overlap region of Denisovans and Neanderthals in central Eurasia. These shifts, which influenced the timing and intensity of potential interbreeding events, can be attributed to the response of climate and vegetation to past variations in atmospheric carbon dioxide and Northern Hemisphere ice-sheet volume. Therefore, glacial-interglacial climate swings likely played an important role in favoring gene flow between archaic humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaoyang Ruan
- Center for Climate Physics, Institute for Basic Science, Busan, South Korea
- Center for Climate Physics, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea
| | - Axel Timmermann
- Center for Climate Physics, Institute for Basic Science, Busan, South Korea
- Center for Climate Physics, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea
| | - Pasquale Raia
- DiSTAR, Monte Sant'Angelo, Napoli Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Kyung-Sook Yun
- Center for Climate Physics, Institute for Basic Science, Busan, South Korea
- Center for Climate Physics, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea
| | - Elke Zeller
- Center for Climate Physics, Institute for Basic Science, Busan, South Korea
- Department of Climate System, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea
| | | | - Mirko Di Febbraro
- Department of Biosciences and Territory, University of Molise, C. da Fonte Lappone, Pesche, Italy
| | - Danielle Lemmon
- Center for Climate Physics, Institute for Basic Science, Busan, South Korea
- Center for Climate Physics, Pusan National University, Busan, South Korea
| | - Silvia Castiglione
- DiSTAR, Monte Sant'Angelo, Napoli Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Marina Melchionna
- DiSTAR, Monte Sant'Angelo, Napoli Università di Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
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15
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Tozzi A. Non-ultrametric phylogenetic trees shed new light on Neanderthal introgression. ORG DIVERS EVOL 2023:1-9. [PMID: 37359819 PMCID: PMC10256575 DOI: 10.1007/s13127-023-00613-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Ultrametric spaces are widely used to depict evolutionary times in phylogenetic trees since they assume that every population/species is located at the tips of bifurcating branches of the same length. The discrete branching of ultrametric trees permits the measurement of distances between pairs of individuals that are proportional to their divergence time. Here the traditional ultrametric concept of bifurcating and divergent phylogenetic tree is overturned and a new type of non-ultrametric diagram is introduced. The objective of this study is the description of gene flows in branching species/populations in terms of converging trees instead of bifurcating trees. To provide an operational example, the paleoanthropological issue of the date of Neanderthal genome's introgression in non-African humans is examined. Neanderthals and ancient humans are not anymore two species that exchange chunks of DNA, rather become a single, novel cluster of extant hominins that must be considered by itself. The novel converging, non-ultrametric phylogenetic trees permit the calibration of molecular clocks with a twofold benefit. When the date of the branching of two population/species from a common ancestor is known, the novel approach allows to calculate the time of subsequent introgressions. On the contrary, when the date of the introgression between two population/species is known, the novel approach allows to detect the time of their previous branching from a common ancestor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arturo Tozzi
- Center for Nonlinear Science, Department of Physics, University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle, Denton, TX #31142776203-5017 USA
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16
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Groh J, Coop G. The temporal and genomic scale of selection following hybridization. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.25.542345. [PMID: 37337589 PMCID: PMC10276902 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.25.542345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Genomic evidence supports an important role for selection in shaping patterns of introgression along the genome, but frameworks for understanding the dynamics underlying these patterns within hybrid populations have been lacking. Here, we develop methods based on the Wavelet Transform to understand the spatial genomic scale of local ancestry variation and its association with recombination rates. We present theory and use simulations to show how wavelet-based decompositions of ancestry variance along the genome and the correlation between ancestry and recombination reflect the joint effects of recombination, genetic drift, and genome-wide selection against introgressed alleles. Due to the clock-like effect of recombination in hybrids breaking up parental haplotypes, drift and selection produce predictable patterns of local ancestry variation at varying spatial genomic scales through time. Using wavelet approaches to identify the genomic scale of variance in ancestry and its correlates, we show that these methods can detect temporally localized effects of drift and selection. We apply these methods to previously published datasets from hybrid populations of swordtail fish (Xiphophorus) and baboons (Papio), and to inferred Neanderthal introgression in modern humans. Across systems, we find that upwards of 20% of the variation in local ancestry at the broadest genomic scales can be attributed to systematic selection against introgressed alleles, consistent with strong selection acting on early-generation hybrids. We also see signals of selection at fine genomic scales and much longer time scales. However, we show that our ability to confidently infer selection at fine scales is likely limited by inherent biases in current methods for estimating local ancestry from genomic similarity. Wavelet approaches will become widely applicable as genomic data from systems with introgression become increasingly available, and can help shed light on generalities of the genomic consequences of interspecific hybridization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Groh
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, and Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Graham Coop
- Department of Evolution and Ecology, and Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
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17
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Rong S, Neil CR, Welch A, Duan C, Maguire S, Meremikwu IC, Meyerson M, Evans BJ, Fairbrother WG. Large-scale functional screen identifies genetic variants with splicing effects in modern and archaic humans. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2218308120. [PMID: 37192163 PMCID: PMC10214146 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218308120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans coexisted and interbred with other hominins which later became extinct. These archaic hominins are known to us only through fossil records and for two cases, genome sequences. Here, we engineer Neanderthal and Denisovan sequences into thousands of artificial genes to reconstruct the pre-mRNA processing patterns of these extinct populations. Of the 5,169 alleles tested in this massively parallel splicing reporter assay (MaPSy), we report 962 exonic splicing mutations that correspond to differences in exon recognition between extant and extinct hominins. Using MaPSy splicing variants, predicted splicing variants, and splicing quantitative trait loci, we show that splice-disrupting variants experienced greater purifying selection in anatomically modern humans than that in Neanderthals. Adaptively introgressed variants were enriched for moderate-effect splicing variants, consistent with positive selection for alternative spliced alleles following introgression. As particularly compelling examples, we characterized a unique tissue-specific alternative splicing variant at the adaptively introgressed innate immunity gene TLR1, as well as a unique Neanderthal introgressed alternative splicing variant in the gene HSPG2 that encodes perlecan. We further identified potentially pathogenic splicing variants found only in Neanderthals and Denisovans in genes related to sperm maturation and immunity. Finally, we found splicing variants that may contribute to variation among modern humans in total bilirubin, balding, hemoglobin levels, and lung capacity. Our findings provide unique insights into natural selection acting on splicing in human evolution and demonstrate how functional assays can be used to identify candidate causal variants underlying differences in gene regulation and phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Rong
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI02912
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI02912
| | - Christopher R. Neil
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI02912
| | - Anastasia Welch
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI02912
| | - Chaorui Duan
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI02912
| | - Samantha Maguire
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI02912
| | - Ijeoma C. Meremikwu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI02912
| | - Malcolm Meyerson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI02912
| | - Ben J. Evans
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ONL8S 4K1, Canada
| | - William G. Fairbrother
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI02912
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI02912
- Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute of Brown University, Providence, RI02912
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18
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Chen Z, Reynolds RH, Pardiñas AF, Gagliano Taliun SA, van Rheenen W, Lin K, Shatunov A, Gustavsson EK, Fogh I, Jones AR, Robberecht W, Corcia P, Chiò A, Shaw PJ, Morrison KE, Veldink JH, van den Berg LH, Shaw CE, Powell JF, Silani V, Hardy JA, Houlden H, Owen MJ, Turner MR, Ryten M, Al-Chalabi A. The contribution of Neanderthal introgression and natural selection to neurodegenerative diseases. Neurobiol Dis 2023; 180:106082. [PMID: 36925053 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2023.106082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans are thought to be more susceptible to neurodegeneration than equivalently-aged primates. It is not known whether this vulnerability is specific to anatomically-modern humans or shared with other hominids. The contribution of introgressed Neanderthal DNA to neurodegenerative disorders remains uncertain. It is also unclear how common variants associated with neurodegenerative disease risk are maintained by natural selection in the population despite their deleterious effects. In this study, we aimed to quantify the genome-wide contribution of Neanderthal introgression and positive selection to the heritability of complex neurodegenerative disorders to address these questions. We used stratified-linkage disequilibrium score regression to investigate the relationship between five SNP-based signatures of natural selection, reflecting different timepoints of evolution, and genome-wide associated variants of the three most prevalent neurodegenerative disorders: Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. We found no evidence for enrichment of positively-selected SNPs in the heritability of Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, suggesting that common deleterious disease variants are unlikely to be maintained by positive selection. There was no enrichment of Neanderthal introgression in the SNP-heritability of these disorders, suggesting that Neanderthal admixture is unlikely to have contributed to disease risk. These findings provide insight into the origins of neurodegenerative disorders within the evolution of Homo sapiens and addresses a long-standing debate, showing that Neanderthal admixture is unlikely to have contributed to common genetic risk of neurodegeneration in anatomically-modern humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongbo Chen
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London (UCL), London, UK; Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UCL, London, UK; NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL, London, UK.
| | - Regina H Reynolds
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UCL, London, UK; NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL, London, UK
| | - Antonio F Pardiñas
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Sarah A Gagliano Taliun
- Department of Medicine & Department of Neurosciences, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Montréal Heart Institute, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Wouter van Rheenen
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Kuang Lin
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Aleksey Shatunov
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Emil K Gustavsson
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UCL, London, UK; NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL, London, UK
| | - Isabella Fogh
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ashley R Jones
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Wim Robberecht
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Department of Neurosciences, Experimental Neurology and Leuven Research Institute for Neuroscience and Disease, Leuven, Belgium; Vesalius Research Center, Laboratory of Neurobiology, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Philippe Corcia
- ALS Center, Department of Neurology, CHRU Bretonneau, Tours, France
| | - Adriano Chiò
- Rita Levi Montalcini Department of Neuroscience, ALS Centre, University of Torino, Turin, Italy; Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Città della Salute e della Scienza, Torino, Italy
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Academic Neurology Unit, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Karen E Morrison
- School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Jan H Veldink
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Leonard H van den Berg
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Brain Center Rudolf Magnus, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Christopher E Shaw
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - John F Powell
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Vincenzo Silani
- Department of Neurology and Laboratory of Neuroscience, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milano, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Dino Ferrari Center, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milano, Italy
| | - John A Hardy
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London (UCL), London, UK; Reta Lila Weston Institute, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK; NIHR University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK; Institute for Advanced Study, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Henry Houlden
- Department of Neuromuscular Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, UCL, London, UK
| | - Michael J Owen
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Martin R Turner
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Mina Ryten
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, UCL, London, UK; NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL, London, UK
| | - Ammar Al-Chalabi
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
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19
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Wei X, Robles CR, Pazokitoroudi A, Ganna A, Gusev A, Durvasula A, Gazal S, Loh PR, Reich D, Sankararaman S. The lingering effects of Neanderthal introgression on human complex traits. eLife 2023; 12:e80757. [PMID: 36939312 PMCID: PMC10076017 DOI: 10.7554/elife.80757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The genetic variants introduced into the ancestors of modern humans from interbreeding with Neanderthals have been suggested to contribute an unexpected extent to complex human traits. However, testing this hypothesis has been challenging due to the idiosyncratic population genetic properties of introgressed variants. We developed rigorous methods to assess the contribution of introgressed Neanderthal variants to heritable trait variation and applied these methods to analyze 235,592 introgressed Neanderthal variants and 96 distinct phenotypes measured in about 300,000 unrelated white British individuals in the UK Biobank. Introgressed Neanderthal variants make a significant contribution to trait variation (explaining 0.12% of trait variation on average). However, the contribution of introgressed variants tends to be significantly depleted relative to modern human variants matched for allele frequency and linkage disequilibrium (about 59% depletion on average), consistent with purifying selection on introgressed variants. Different from previous studies (McArthur et al., 2021), we find no evidence for elevated heritability across the phenotypes examined. We identified 348 independent significant associations of introgressed Neanderthal variants with 64 phenotypes. Previous work (Skov et al., 2020) has suggested that a majority of such associations are likely driven by statistical association with nearby modern human variants that are the true causal variants. Applying a customized fine-mapping led us to identify 112 regions across 47 phenotypes containing 4303 unique genetic variants where introgressed variants are highly likely to have a phenotypic effect. Examination of these variants reveals their substantial impact on genes that are important for the immune system, development, and metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinzhu Wei
- Department of Computational Biology, Cornell UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Christopher R Robles
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Ali Pazokitoroudi
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
| | - Andrea Ganna
- Analytical and Translational Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalBostonUnited States
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardCambridgeUnited States
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardCambridgeUnited States
| | - Alexander Gusev
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Arun Durvasula
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
| | - Steven Gazal
- Center for Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public and Population Health Sciences, University of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesUnited States
- Division of Genetics,Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Po-Ru Loh
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardCambridgeUnited States
| | - David Reich
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and HarvardCambridgeUnited States
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard UniversityCambridgeUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonUnited States
| | - Sriram Sankararaman
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
- Department of Computational Medicine, University of California, Los AngelesLos AngelesUnited States
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20
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Taravella Oill AM, Buetow KH, Wilson MA. The role of Neanderthal introgression in liver cancer. BMC Med Genomics 2022; 15:255. [PMID: 36503519 PMCID: PMC9743633 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-022-01405-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neanderthal introgressed DNA has been linked to different normal and disease traits including immunity and metabolism-two important functions that are altered in liver cancer. However, there is limited understanding of the relationship between Neanderthal introgression and liver cancer risk. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between Neanderthal introgression and liver cancer risk. METHODS Using germline and somatic DNA and tumor RNA from liver cancer patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas, along with ancestry-match germline DNA from unaffected individuals from the 1000 Genomes Resource, and allele specific expression data from normal liver tissue from The Genotype-Tissue Expression project we investigated whether Neanderthal introgression impacts cancer etiology. Using a previously generated set of Neanderthal alleles, we identified Neanderthal introgressed haplotypes. We then tested whether somatic mutations are enriched or depleted on Neanderthal introgressed haplotypes compared to modern haplotypes. We also computationally assessed whether somatic mutations have a functional effect or show evidence of regulating expression of Neanderthal haplotypes. Finally, we compared patterns of Neanderthal introgression in liver cancer patients and the general population. RESULTS We find Neanderthal introgressed haplotypes exhibit an excess of somatic mutations compared to modern haplotypes. Variant Effect Predictor analysis revealed that most of the somatic mutations on these Neanderthal introgressed haplotypes are not functional. We did observe expression differences of Neanderthal alleles between tumor and normal for four genes that also showed a pattern of enrichment of somatic mutations on Neanderthal haplotypes. However, gene expression was similar between liver cancer patients with modern ancestry and liver cancer patients with Neanderthal ancestry at these genes. Provocatively, when analyzing all genes, we find evidence of Neanderthal introgression regulating expression in tumor from liver cancer patients in two genes, ARK1C4 and OAS1. Finally, we find that most genes do not show a difference in the proportion of Neanderthal introgression between liver cancer patients and the general population. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that Neanderthal introgression provides opportunity for somatic mutations to accumulate, and that some Neanderthal introgression may impact liver cancer risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Taravella Oill
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA.
| | - Kenneth H Buetow
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Melissa A Wilson
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
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21
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Koller D, Wendt FR, Pathak GA, De Lillo A, De Angelis F, Cabrera-Mendoza B, Tucci S, Polimanti R. Denisovan and Neanderthal archaic introgression differentially impacted the genetics of complex traits in modern populations. BMC Biol 2022; 20:249. [PMID: 36344982 PMCID: PMC9641937 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01449-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Introgression from extinct Neanderthal and Denisovan human species has been shown to contribute to the genetic pool of modern human populations and their phenotypic spectrum. Evidence of how Neanderthal introgression shaped the genetics of human traits and diseases has been extensively studied in populations of European descent, with signatures of admixture reported for instance in genes associated with pigmentation, immunity, and metabolic traits. However, limited information is currently available about the impact of archaic introgression on other ancestry groups. Additionally, to date, no study has been conducted with respect to the impact of Denisovan introgression on the health and disease of modern populations. Here, we compare the way evolutionary pressures shaped the genetics of complex traits in East Asian and European populations, and provide evidence of the impact of Denisovan introgression on the health of East Asian and Central/South Asian populations. RESULTS Leveraging genome-wide association statistics from the Biobank Japan and UK Biobank, we assessed whether Denisovan and Neanderthal introgression together with other evolutionary genomic signatures were enriched for the heritability of physiological and pathological conditions in populations of East Asian and European descent. In EAS, Denisovan-introgressed loci were enriched for coronary artery disease heritability (1.69-fold enrichment, p=0.003). No enrichment for archaic introgression was observed in EUR. We also performed a phenome-wide association study of Denisovan and Neanderthal alleles in six ancestry groups available in the UK Biobank. In EAS, the Denisovan-introgressed SNP rs62391664 in the major histocompatibility complex region was associated with albumin/globulin ratio (beta=-0.17, p=3.57×10-7). Neanderthal-introgressed alleles were associated with psychiatric and cognitive traits in EAS (e.g., "No Bipolar or Depression"-rs79043717 beta=-1.5, p=1.1×10-7), and with blood biomarkers (e.g., alkaline phosphatase-rs11244089 beta=0.1, p=3.69×10-116) and red hair color (rs60733936 beta=-0.86, p=4.49×10-165) in EUR. In the other ancestry groups, Neanderthal alleles were associated with several traits, also including the use of certain medications (e.g., Central/South East Asia: indapamide - rs732632 beta=-2.38, p=5.22×10-7). CONCLUSIONS Our study provides novel evidence regarding the impact of archaic introgression on the genetics of complex traits in worldwide populations, highlighting the specific contribution of Denisovan introgression in EAS populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dora Koller
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08028, Spain
| | - Frank R Wendt
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Gita A Pathak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Antonella De Lillo
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, 00133, Italy
| | - Flavio De Angelis
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, 00133, Italy
| | - Brenda Cabrera-Mendoza
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA
| | - Serena Tucci
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Renato Polimanti
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, 06516, USA.
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22
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Bergman J, Schierup MH. Evolutionary dynamics of pseudoautosomal region 1 in humans and great apes. Genome Biol 2022; 23:215. [PMID: 36253794 PMCID: PMC9575207 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02784-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The pseudoautosomal region 1 (PAR1) is a 2.7 Mb telomeric region of human sex chromosomes. PAR1 has a crucial role in ensuring proper segregation of sex chromosomes during male meiosis, exposing it to extreme recombination and mutation processes. We investigate PAR1 evolution using population genomic datasets of extant humans, eight populations of great apes, and two archaic human genome sequences. Results We find that PAR1 is fast evolving and closer to evolutionary nucleotide equilibrium than autosomal telomeres. We detect a difference between substitution patterns and extant diversity in PAR1, mainly driven by the conflict between strong mutation and recombination-associated fixation bias at CpG sites. We detect excess C-to-G mutations in PAR1 of all great apes, specific to the mutagenic effect of male recombination. Despite recent evidence for Y chromosome introgression from humans into Neanderthals, we find that the Neanderthal PAR1 retained similarity to the Denisovan sequence. We find differences between substitution spectra of these archaics suggesting rapid evolution of PAR1 in recent hominin history. Frequency analysis of alleles segregating in females and males provided no evidence for recent sexual antagonism in this region. We study repeat content and double-strand break hotspot regions in PAR1 and find that they may play roles in ensuring the obligate X-Y recombination event during male meiosis. Conclusions Our study provides an unprecedented quantification of population genetic forces governing PAR1 biology across extant and extinct hominids. PAR1 evolutionary dynamics are predominantly governed by recombination processes with a strong impact on mutation patterns across all species. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13059-022-02784-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juraj Bergman
- Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
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23
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Neandertal introgression partitions the genetic landscape of neuropsychiatric disorders and associated behavioral phenotypes. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:433. [PMID: 36198681 PMCID: PMC9534885 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02196-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in identifying the genetic basis of psychiatric and neurological disorders, fundamental questions about their evolutionary origins remain elusive. Here, introgressed variants from archaic humans such as Neandertals can serve as an intriguing research paradigm. We compared the number of associations for Neandertal variants to the number of associations of frequency-matched non-archaic variants with regard to human CNS disorders (neurological and psychiatric), nervous system drug prescriptions (as a proxy for disease), and related, non-disease phenotypes in the UK biobank (UKBB). While no enrichment for Neandertal genetic variants were observed in the UKBB for psychiatric or neurological disease categories, we found significant associations with certain behavioral phenotypes including pain, chronotype/sleep, smoking and alcohol consumption. In some instances, the enrichment signal was driven by Neandertal variants that represented the strongest association genome-wide. SNPs within a Neandertal haplotype that was associated with smoking in the UKBB could be replicated in four independent genomics datasets.Our data suggest that evolutionary processes in recent human evolution like admixture with Neandertals significantly contribute to behavioral phenotypes but not psychiatric and neurological diseases. These findings help to link genetic variants in a population to putative past beneficial effects, which likely only indirectly contribute to pathology in modern day humans.
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24
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Harvati K, Ackermann RR. Merging morphological and genetic evidence to assess hybridization in Western Eurasian late Pleistocene hominins. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1573-1585. [PMID: 36064759 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01875-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Previous scientific consensus saw human evolution as defined by adaptive differences (behavioural and/or biological) and the emergence of Homo sapiens as the ultimate replacement of non-modern groups by a modern, adaptively more competitive group. However, recent research has shown that the process underlying our origins was considerably more complex. While archaeological and fossil evidence suggests that behavioural complexity may not be confined to the modern human lineage, recent palaeogenomic work shows that gene flow between distinct lineages (for example, Neanderthals, Denisovans, early H. sapiens) occurred repeatedly in the late Pleistocene, probably contributing elements to our genetic make-up that might have been crucial to our success as a diverse, adaptable species. Following these advances, the prevailing human origins model has shifted from one of near-complete replacement to a more nuanced view of partial replacement with considerable reticulation. Here we provide a brief introduction to the current genetic evidence for hybridization among hominins, its prevalence in, and effects on, comparative mammal groups, and especially how it manifests in the skull. We then explore the degree to which cranial variation seen in the fossil record of late Pleistocene hominins from Western Eurasia corresponds with our current genetic and comparative data. We are especially interested in understanding the degree to which skeletal data can reflect admixture. Our findings indicate some correspondence between these different lines of evidence, flag individual fossils as possibly admixed, and suggest that different cranial regions may preserve hybridization signals differentially. We urge further studies of the phenotype to expand our ability to detect the ways in which migration, interaction and genetic exchange have shaped the human past, beyond what is currently visible with the lens of ancient DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Harvati
- Paleoanthropology section, Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment, Institute for Archaeological Sciences, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
- DFG Centre for Advanced Studies 'Words, Bones, Genes, Tools', Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| | - R R Ackermann
- Human Evolution Research Institute, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
- DFG Centre for Advanced Studies 'Words, Bones, Genes, Tools', Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
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25
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Wonkam A, Munung NS, Dandara C, Esoh KK, Hanchard NA, Landoure G. Five Priorities of African Genomics Research: The Next Frontier. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2022; 23:499-521. [PMID: 35576571 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-111521-102452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
To embrace the prospects of accurately diagnosing thousands of monogenic conditions, predicting disease risks for complex traits or diseases, tailoring treatment to individuals' pharmacogenetic profiles, and potentially curing some diseases, research into African genomic variation is a scientific imperative. African genomes harbor millions of uncaptured variants accumulated over 300,000 years of modern humans' evolutionary history, with successive waves of admixture, migration, and natural selection combining with extensive ecological diversity to create a broad and exceptional genomic complexity. Harnessing African genomic complexity, therefore, will require sustained commitment and equitable collaboration from the scientific community and funding agencies. African governments must support academic public research and industrial partnerships that build the necessary genetic medicine workforce, utilize the emerging genomic big data to develop expertise in computer science and bioinformatics, and evolve national and global governance frameworks that recognize the ethical implications of data-driven genomic research and empower its application in African social, cultural, economic, and religious contexts. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics, Volume 23 is October 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambroise Wonkam
- Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; , , .,Current affiliation: McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine and Department of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA;
| | - Nchangwi S Munung
- Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; , ,
| | - Collet Dandara
- Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; , ,
| | - Kevin K Esoh
- Division of Human Genetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; , ,
| | - Neil A Hanchard
- Center for Precision Health Research, National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA;
| | - Guida Landoure
- Faculty of Medicine and Odontostomatology, University of Sciences, Techniques, and Technology of Bamako, Bamako, Mali;
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26
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Buisan R, Moriano J, Andirkó A, Boeckx C. A Brain Region-Specific Expression Profile for Genes Within Large Introgression Deserts and Under Positive Selection in Homo sapiens. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:824740. [PMID: 35557944 PMCID: PMC9086289 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.824740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Analyses of ancient DNA from extinct hominins have provided unique insights into the complex evolutionary history of Homo sapiens, intricately related to that of the Neanderthals and the Denisovans as revealed by several instances of admixture events. These analyses have also allowed the identification of introgression deserts: genomic regions in our species that are depleted of “archaic” haplotypes. The presence of genes like FOXP2 in these deserts has been taken to be suggestive of brain-related functional differences between Homo species. Here, we seek a deeper characterization of these regions and the specific expression trajectories of genes within them, taking into account signals of positive selection in our lineage. Analyzing publicly available transcriptomic data from the human brain at different developmental stages, we found that structures outside the cerebral neocortex, in particular the cerebellum, the striatum and the mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus show the most divergent transcriptomic profiles when considering genes within large introgression deserts and under positive selection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Juan Moriano
- Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alejandro Andirkó
- Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cedric Boeckx
- Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat de Barcelona Institute of Complex Systems, Barcelona, Spain
- Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
- *Correspondence: Cedric Boeckx,
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27
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Brand CM, Colbran LL, Capra JA. Predicting Archaic Hominin Phenotypes from Genomic Data. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2022; 23:591-612. [PMID: 35440148 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-111521-121903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Ancient DNA provides a powerful window into the biology of extant and extinct species, including humans' closest relatives: Denisovans and Neanderthals. Here, we review what is known about archaic hominin phenotypes from genomic data and how those inferences have been made. We contend that understanding the influence of variants on lower-level molecular phenotypes-such as gene expression and protein function-is a promising approach to using ancient DNA to learn about archaic hominin traits. Molecular phenotypes have simpler genetic architectures than organism-level complex phenotypes, and this approach enables moving beyond association studies by proposing hypotheses about the effects of archaic variants that are testable in model systems. The major challenge to understanding archaic hominin phenotypes is broadening our ability to accurately map genotypes to phenotypes, but ongoing advances ensure that there will be much more to learn about archaic hominin phenotypes from their genomes. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Genomics and Human Genetics, Volume 23 is October 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin M Brand
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; , .,Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Laura L Colbran
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - John A Capra
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; , .,Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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28
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Wohns AW, Wong Y, Jeffery B, Akbari A, Mallick S, Pinhasi R, Patterson N, Reich D, Kelleher J, McVean G. A unified genealogy of modern and ancient genomes. Science 2022; 375:eabi8264. [PMID: 35201891 PMCID: PMC10027547 DOI: 10.1126/science.abi8264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The sequencing of modern and ancient genomes from around the world has revolutionized our understanding of human history and evolution. However, the problem of how best to characterize ancestral relationships from the totality of human genomic variation remains unsolved. Here, we address this challenge with nonparametric methods that enable us to infer a unified genealogy of modern and ancient humans. This compact representation of multiple datasets explores the challenges of missing and erroneous data and uses ancient samples to constrain and date relationships. We demonstrate the power of the method to recover relationships between individuals and populations as well as to identify descendants of ancient samples. Finally, we introduce a simple nonparametric estimator of the geographical location of ancestors that recapitulates key events in human history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Wilder Wohns
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Yan Wong
- Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Ben Jeffery
- Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Ali Akbari
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University; Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Swapan Mallick
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Ron Pinhasi
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Vienna; 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Nick Patterson
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University; Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David Reich
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University; Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jerome Kelleher
- Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
| | - Gil McVean
- Big Data Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre for Health Information and Discovery, University of Oxford; Oxford OX3 7LF, UK
- Corresponding author.
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Jagoda E, Xue JR, Reilly SK, Dannemann M, Racimo F, Huerta-Sanchez E, Sankararaman S, Kelso J, Pagani L, Sabeti PC, Capellini TD. Detection of Neanderthal Adaptively Introgressed Genetic Variants That Modulate Reporter Gene Expression in Human Immune Cells. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:msab304. [PMID: 34662402 PMCID: PMC8760939 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although some variation introgressed from Neanderthals has undergone selective sweeps, little is known about its functional significance. We used a Massively Parallel Reporter Assay (MPRA) to assay 5,353 high-frequency introgressed variants for their ability to modulate the gene expression within 170 bp of endogenous sequence. We identified 2,548 variants in active putative cis-regulatory elements (CREs) and 292 expression-modulating variants (emVars). These emVars are predicted to alter the binding motifs of important immune transcription factors, are enriched for associations with neutrophil and white blood cell count, and are associated with the expression of genes that function in innate immune pathways including inflammatory response and antiviral defense. We combined the MPRA data with other data sets to identify strong candidates to be driver variants of positive selection including an emVar that may contribute to protection against severe COVID-19 response. We endogenously deleted two CREs containing expression-modulation variants linked to immune function, rs11624425 and rs80317430, identifying their primary genic targets as ELMSAN1, and PAN2 and STAT2, respectively, three genes differentially expressed during influenza infection. Overall, we present the first database of experimentally identified expression-modulating Neanderthal-introgressed alleles contributing to potential immune response in modern humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelyn Jagoda
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - James R Xue
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Steven K Reilly
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Michael Dannemann
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Fernando Racimo
- Lundbeck GeoGenetics Centre, The Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Emilia Huerta-Sanchez
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Sriram Sankararaman
- Department of Computer Science, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Janet Kelso
- Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Luca Pagani
- Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Pardis C Sabeti
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Terence D Capellini
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Levi G, de Lombares C, Giuliani C, Iannuzzi V, Aouci R, Garagnani P, Franceschi C, Grimaud-Hervé D, Narboux-Nême N. DLX5/6 GABAergic Expression Affects Social Vocalization: Implications for Human Evolution. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 38:4748-4764. [PMID: 34132815 PMCID: PMC8557472 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
DLX5 and DLX6 are two closely related transcription factors involved in brain development and in GABAergic differentiation. The DLX5/6 locus is regulated by FoxP2, a gene involved in language evolution and has been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders and mental retardation. Targeted inactivation of Dlx5/6 in mouse GABAergic neurons (Dlx5/6VgatCre mice) results in behavioral and metabolic phenotypes notably increasing lifespan by 33%. Here, we show that Dlx5/6VgatCre mice present a hyper-vocalization and hyper-socialization phenotype. While only 7% of control mice emitted more than 700 vocalizations/10 min, 30% and 56% of heterozygous or homozygous Dlx5/6VgatCre mice emitted more than 700 and up to 1,400 calls/10 min with a higher proportion of complex and modulated calls. Hyper-vocalizing animals were more sociable: the time spent in dynamic interactions with an unknown visitor was more than doubled compared to low-vocalizing individuals. The characters affected by Dlx5/6 in the mouse (sociability, vocalization, skull, and brain shape…) overlap those affected in the "domestication syndrome". We therefore explored the possibility that DLX5/6 played a role in human evolution and "self-domestication" comparing DLX5/6 genomic regions from Neanderthal and modern humans. We identified an introgressed Neanderthal haplotype (DLX5/6-N-Haplotype) present in 12.6% of European individuals that covers DLX5/6 coding and regulatory sequences. The DLX5/6-N-Haplotype includes the binding site for GTF2I, a gene associated with Williams-Beuren syndrome, a hyper-sociability and hyper-vocalization neurodevelopmental disorder. The DLX5/6-N-Haplotype is significantly underrepresented in semi-supercentenarians (>105 years of age), a well-established human model of healthy aging and longevity, suggesting their involvement in the coevolution of longevity, sociability, and speech.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Levi
- Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation, CNRS UMR7221, Département AVIV, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Camille de Lombares
- Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation, CNRS UMR7221, Département AVIV, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Cristina Giuliani
- Laboratory of Molecular Anthropology & Centre for Genome Biology, Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Iannuzzi
- Alma Mater Research Institute on Global Challenges and Climate Change, University of Bologna, Italy
| | - Rym Aouci
- Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation, CNRS UMR7221, Département AVIV, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Paolo Garagnani
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Clinical Chemistry, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet at Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Claudio Franceschi
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Institute of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Mechanics, Lobachevsky University, Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia
| | - Dominique Grimaud-Hervé
- Histoire Naturelle de l’Homme Préhistorique, CNRS UMR 7194, Département H&E, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Narboux-Nême
- Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation, CNRS UMR7221, Département AVIV, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
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Luoto S. Did Prosociality Drive the Evolution of Homosexuality? Response to Barron (2020). ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 50:2777-2779. [PMID: 33638066 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-021-01944-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Severi Luoto
- English, Drama and Writing Studies, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand.
- School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
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32
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Different historical generation intervals in human populations inferred from Neanderthal fragment lengths and mutation signatures. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5317. [PMID: 34493715 PMCID: PMC8423828 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25524-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
After the main Out-of-Africa event, humans interbred with Neanderthals leaving 1–2% of Neanderthal DNA scattered in small fragments in all non-African genomes today. Here we investigate what can be learned about human demographic processes from the size distribution of these fragments. We observe differences in fragment length across Eurasia with 12% longer fragments in East Asians than West Eurasians. Comparisons between extant populations with ancient samples show that these differences are caused by different rates of decay in length by recombination since the Neanderthal admixture. In concordance, we observe a strong correlation between the average fragment length and the mutation accumulation, similar to what is expected by changing the ages at reproduction as estimated from trio studies. Altogether, our results suggest differences in the generation interval across Eurasia, by up 10–20%, over the past 40,000 years. We use sex-specific mutation signatures to infer whether these changes were driven by shifts in either male or female age at reproduction, or both. We also find that previously reported variation in the mutational spectrum may be largely explained by changes to the generation interval. We conclude that Neanderthal fragment lengths provide unique insight into differences among human populations over recent history. Historical interbreeding between Neanderthals and humans should leave signatures of historical demographics in modern human genomes. Analysing the size distribution of Neanderthal fragments in non-African genomes suggests consistent differences in the generation interval across Eurasia, and that this could explain mutational spectrum variation.
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Huang Y, Huang W, Meng Z, Braz GT, Li Y, Wang K, Wang H, Lai J, Jiang J, Dong Z, Jin W. Megabase-scale presence-absence variation with Tripsacum origin was under selection during maize domestication and adaptation. Genome Biol 2021; 22:237. [PMID: 34416918 PMCID: PMC8377971 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02448-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Structural variants (SVs) significantly drive genome diversity and environmental adaptation for diverse species. Unlike the prevalent small SVs (< kilobase-scale) in higher eukaryotes, large-size SVs rarely exist in the genome, but they function as one of the key evolutionary forces for speciation and adaptation. RESULTS In this study, we discover and characterize several megabase-scale presence-absence variations (PAVs) in the maize genome. Surprisingly, we identify a 3.2 Mb PAV fragment that shows high integrity and is present as complete presence or absence in the natural diversity panel. This PAV is embedded within the nucleolus organizer region (NOR), where the suppressed recombination is found to maintain the PAV against the evolutionary variation. Interestingly, by analyzing the sequence of this PAV, we not only reveal the domestication trace from teosinte to modern maize, but also the footprints of its origin from Tripsacum, shedding light on a previously unknown contribution from Tripsacum to the speciation of Zea species. The functional consequence of the Tripsacum segment migration is also investigated, and environmental fitness conferred by the PAV may explain the whole segment as a selection target during maize domestication and improvement. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide a novel perspective that Tripsacum contributes to Zea speciation, and also instantiate a strategy for evolutionary and functional analysis of the "fossil" structure variations during genome evolution and speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yumin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, National Maize Improvement Center, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Joint International Research Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding (MOE), China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Wei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, National Maize Improvement Center, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Joint International Research Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding (MOE), China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zhuang Meng
- Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Corps (MOE), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China
| | - Guilherme Tomaz Braz
- Department of Plant Biology, Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Yunfei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, National Maize Improvement Center, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Joint International Research Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding (MOE), China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Kai Wang
- Key Laboratory of Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Corps (MOE), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, Fujian, China
| | - Hai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, National Maize Improvement Center, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Joint International Research Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding (MOE), China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jinsheng Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, National Maize Improvement Center, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Joint International Research Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding (MOE), China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jiming Jiang
- Department of Plant Biology, Department of Horticulture, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Zhaobin Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, National Maize Improvement Center, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Joint International Research Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding (MOE), China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Weiwei Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, National Maize Improvement Center, Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization (MOE), Joint International Research Laboratory of Crop Molecular Breeding (MOE), China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
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Irving-Pease EK, Muktupavela R, Dannemann M, Racimo F. Quantitative Human Paleogenetics: What can Ancient DNA Tell us About Complex Trait Evolution? Front Genet 2021; 12:703541. [PMID: 34422004 PMCID: PMC8371751 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.703541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic association data from national biobanks and large-scale association studies have provided new prospects for understanding the genetic evolution of complex traits and diseases in humans. In turn, genomes from ancient human archaeological remains are now easier than ever to obtain, and provide a direct window into changes in frequencies of trait-associated alleles in the past. This has generated a new wave of studies aiming to analyse the genetic component of traits in historic and prehistoric times using ancient DNA, and to determine whether any such traits were subject to natural selection. In humans, however, issues about the portability and robustness of complex trait inference across different populations are particularly concerning when predictions are extended to individuals that died thousands of years ago, and for which little, if any, phenotypic validation is possible. In this review, we discuss the advantages of incorporating ancient genomes into studies of trait-associated variants, the need for models that can better accommodate ancient genomes into quantitative genetic frameworks, and the existing limits to inferences about complex trait evolution, particularly with respect to past populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan K. Irving-Pease
- Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rasa Muktupavela
- Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Michael Dannemann
- Center for Genomics, Evolution and Medicine, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Fernando Racimo
- Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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35
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McArthur E, Rinker DC, Capra JA. Quantifying the contribution of Neanderthal introgression to the heritability of complex traits. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4481. [PMID: 34294692 PMCID: PMC8298587 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24582-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Eurasians have ~2% Neanderthal ancestry, but we lack a comprehensive understanding of the genome-wide influence of Neanderthal introgression on modern human diseases and traits. Here, we quantify the contribution of introgressed alleles to the heritability of more than 400 diverse traits. We show that genomic regions in which detectable Neanderthal ancestry remains are depleted of heritability for all traits considered, except those related to skin and hair. Introgressed variants themselves are also depleted for contributions to the heritability of most traits. However, introgressed variants shared across multiple Neanderthal populations are enriched for heritability and have consistent directions of effect on several traits with potential relevance to human adaptation to non-African environments, including hair and skin traits, autoimmunity, chronotype, bone density, lung capacity, and menopause age. Integrating our results, we propose a model in which selection against introgressed functional variation was the dominant trend (especially for cognitive traits); however, for a few traits, introgressed variants provided beneficial variation via uni-directional (e.g., lightening skin color) or bi-directional (e.g., modulating immune response) effects. We lack a comprehensive understanding of how Neanderthal ancestry influences human traits. This study finds that regions with Neanderthal ancestry are broadly depleted of trait-associated variation; yet, introgressed variants likely contributed to human adaptation in a few traits, like skin color and immune response modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evonne McArthur
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - David C Rinker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - John A Capra
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA. .,Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA. .,Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute and Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94107, USA.
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36
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Kim YA, Leiserson MDM, Moorjani P, Sharan R, Wojtowicz D, Przytycka TM. Mutational Signatures: From Methods to Mechanisms. Annu Rev Biomed Data Sci 2021; 4:189-206. [PMID: 34465178 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biodatasci-122320-120920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Mutations are the driving force of evolution, yet they underlie many diseases, in particular, cancer. They are thought to arise from a combination of stochastic errors in DNA processing, naturally occurring DNA damage (e.g., the spontaneous deamination of methylated CpG sites), replication errors, and dysregulation of DNA repair mechanisms. High-throughput sequencing has made it possible to generate large datasets to study mutational processes in health and disease. Since the emergence of the first mutational process studies in 2012, this field is gaining increasing attention and has already accumulated a host of computational approaches and biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoo-Ah Kim
- National Center of Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20894, USA;
| | - Mark D M Leiserson
- Department of Computer Science and Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - Priya Moorjani
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and Center for Computational Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
| | - Roded Sharan
- Blavatnik School of Computer Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Damian Wojtowicz
- National Center of Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20894, USA;
| | - Teresa M Przytycka
- National Center of Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20894, USA;
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Ahlquist KD, Bañuelos MM, Funk A, Lai J, Rong S, Villanea FA, Witt KE. Our Tangled Family Tree: New Genomic Methods Offer Insight into the Legacy of Archaic Admixture. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:evab115. [PMID: 34028527 PMCID: PMC8480178 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The archaic ancestry present in the human genome has captured the imagination of both scientists and the wider public in recent years. This excitement is the result of new studies pushing the envelope of what we can learn from the archaic genetic information that has survived for over 50,000 years in the human genome. Here, we review the most recent ten years of literature on the topic of archaic introgression, including the current state of knowledge on Neanderthal and Denisovan introgression, as well as introgression from other as-yet unidentified archaic populations. We focus this review on four topics: 1) a reimagining of human demographic history, including evidence for multiple admixture events between modern humans, Neanderthals, Denisovans, and other archaic populations; 2) state-of-the-art methods for detecting archaic ancestry in population-level genomic data; 3) how these novel methods can detect archaic introgression in modern African populations; and 4) the functional consequences of archaic gene variants, including how those variants were co-opted into novel function in modern human populations. The goal of this review is to provide a simple-to-access reference for the relevant methods and novel data, which has changed our understanding of the relationship between our species and its siblings. This body of literature reveals the large degree to which the genetic legacy of these extinct hominins has been integrated into the human populations of today.
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Affiliation(s)
- K D Ahlquist
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Mayra M Bañuelos
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Alyssa Funk
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Jiaying Lai
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Brown Center for Biomedical Informatics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Stephen Rong
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Fernando A Villanea
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Kelsey E Witt
- Center for Computational Molecular Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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38
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Amos W. Correlated and geographically predictable Neanderthal and Denisovan legacies are difficult to reconcile with a simple model based on inter-breeding. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:201229. [PMID: 34150310 PMCID: PMC8206685 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.201229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Although the presence of archaic hominin legacies in humans is taken for granted, little attention has been given as to how the data fit with how humans colonized the world. Here, I show that Neanderthal and Denisovan legacies are strongly correlated and that inferred legacy size, like heterozygosity, exhibits a strong correlation with distance from Africa. Simulations confirm that, once created, legacy size is extremely stable: it may reduce through admixture with lower legacy populations but cannot increase significantly through neutral drift. Consequently, populations carrying the highest legacies are likely to be those whose ancestors inter-bred most with archaics. However, the populations with the highest legacies are globally scattered and are unified, not by having origins within the known Neanderthal range, but instead by living in locations that lie furthest from Africa. Furthermore, the Simons Genome Diversity Project data reveal two distinct correlations between Neanderthal and Denisovan legacies, one that starts in North Africa and increases west to east across Eurasia and into some parts of Oceania, and a second, much steeper trend that starts in Africa, peaking with the San and Ju/'hoansi and which, if extrapolated, predicts the large inferred legacies of both archaics found in Oceania/Australia. Similar 'double' trends are observed for the introgression statistic f 4 in a second large dataset published by Qin and Stoneking (Qin & Stoneking 2015 Mol. Biol. Evol. 32, 2665-2674 (doi:10.1093/molbev/msv141)). These trends appear at odds with simple models of how introgression occurred though more complicated patterns of introgression could potentially generate better fits. Moreover, substituting archaic genomes with those of great apes yields similar but biologically impossible signals of introgression, suggesting that the signals these metrics capture arise within humans and are largely independent of the test group. Interestingly, the data do appear to fit a speculative model in which the loss of diversity that occurred when humans moved further from Africa created a gradient in heterozygosity that in turn progressively reduced mutation rate such that populations furthest from Africa have diverged less from our common ancestor and hence from the archaics. In this light, the two distinct trends could be interpreted in terms of two 'out of Africa' events, an early one ending in Oceania and Australia and a later one that colonized Eurasia and the Americas.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Amos
- Department of Zoology, Cambridge University, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK
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Abstract
This paper evaluates the status quo of modern society and identifies the neglect of humanism as the root cause of many of today’s global challenges. Note that “smart cities” are not excluded from this indictment. The “Ptolemaic Universe” offers a means to restore our symbiosis with the environment. The ReSeT model is proposed as a tool to analyze the Ptolemaic Universe. Using ReSeT: Homo Sapiens becomes dependent on AI resulting in Homo Digitalis, with further evolution in concert with AI resulting in Homo Digitus. All of these stages are then analyzed in the context of global trusted dependability (GTD). The wellness domain, provides the design specification framework for Homo Digitus’ human-centered and resilient “smart city” ecosystem. This ultimately leads to a better world of increased wellness for Homo Hominus, with better smart cities emphasizing education and science, promoting wisdom and common sense, and rejecting violence. In summary, humanity has generated diverse social structures with erratic outcomes. On the other hand, technology provides a successful foundation for modern society especially in the Pandemic Era. However, technology’s contributions are generally not publicly acknowledged. The paper concludes with several initiatives designed to establish a trusted and resilient society.
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Blinkhorn J, Zanolli C, Compton T, Groucutt HS, Scerri EML, Crété L, Stringer C, Petraglia MD, Blockley S. Nubian Levallois technology associated with southernmost Neanderthals. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2869. [PMID: 33589653 PMCID: PMC7884387 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-82257-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Neanderthals occurred widely across north Eurasian landscapes, but between ~ 70 and 50 thousand years ago (ka) they expanded southwards into the Levant, which had previously been inhabited by Homo sapiens. Palaeoanthropological research in the first half of the twentieth century demonstrated alternate occupations of the Levant by Neanderthal and Homo sapiens populations, yet key early findings have largely been overlooked in later studies. Here, we present the results of new examinations of both the fossil and archaeological collections from Shukbah Cave, located in the Palestinian West Bank, presenting new quantitative analyses of a hominin lower first molar and associated stone tool assemblage. The hominin tooth shows clear Neanderthal affinities, making it the southernmost known fossil specimen of this population/species. The associated Middle Palaeolithic stone tool assemblage is dominated by Levallois reduction methods, including the presence of Nubian Levallois points and cores. This is the first direct association between Neanderthals and Nubian Levallois technology, demonstrating that this stone tool technology should not be considered an exclusive marker of Homo sapiens.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Blinkhorn
- grid.469873.70000 0004 4914 1197Pan-African Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Strasse 10, 07745 Jena, Germany ,grid.4970.a0000 0001 2188 881XCentre for Quaternary Research, Department of Geography, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey UK
| | - Clément Zanolli
- grid.503132.60000 0004 0383 1969Univ. Bordeaux, CNRS, MCC, PACEA, UMR 5199, 33600 Pessac, France
| | - Tim Compton
- grid.35937.3b0000 0001 2270 9879Centre for Human Evolution Research, Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD UK
| | - Huw S. Groucutt
- grid.4372.20000 0001 2105 1091Extreme Events Research Group, Max Planck Institutes for Chemical Ecology, The Science of Human History, and Biogeochemistry, Hans-Knöll-Strasse 8, 07745 Jena, Germany ,grid.469873.70000 0004 4914 1197Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Strasse 10, 07745 Jena, Germany ,grid.6190.e0000 0000 8580 3777Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Eleanor M. L. Scerri
- grid.469873.70000 0004 4914 1197Pan-African Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Strasse 10, 07745 Jena, Germany ,grid.4462.40000 0001 2176 9482Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta, Msida, 2080 MSD Malta ,grid.6190.e0000 0000 8580 3777Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany
| | - Lucile Crété
- grid.35937.3b0000 0001 2270 9879Centre for Human Evolution Research, Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD UK
| | - Chris Stringer
- grid.35937.3b0000 0001 2270 9879Centre for Human Evolution Research, Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD UK
| | - Michael D. Petraglia
- grid.469873.70000 0004 4914 1197Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Kahlaische Strasse 10, 07745 Jena, Germany ,grid.1214.60000 0000 8716 3312Human Origins Program, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560 USA ,grid.1003.20000 0000 9320 7537School of Social Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Simon Blockley
- grid.4970.a0000 0001 2188 881XCentre for Quaternary Research, Department of Geography, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham Hill, Egham, Surrey UK
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Dannemann M. The Population-Specific Impact of Neandertal Introgression on Human Disease. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6008690. [PMID: 33247712 PMCID: PMC7851588 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery of admixture between modern humans and Neandertals, multiple studies investigated the effect of Neandertal-derived DNA on human disease and nondisease phenotypes. These studies have linked Neandertal ancestry to skin- and hair-related phenotypes, immunity, neurological, and behavioral traits. However, these inferences have so far been limited to cohorts with participants of European ancestry. Here, I analyze summary statistics from 40 disease GWAS (genome-wide association study) cohorts of ∼212,000 individuals provided by the Biobank Japan Project for phenotypic effects of Neandertal DNA. I show that Neandertal DNA is associated with autoimmune diseases, prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes. Many of these disease associations are linked to population-specific Neandertal DNA, highlighting the importance of studying a wider range of ancestries to characterize the phenotypic legacy of Neandertals in people today.
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Bergström A, Stringer C, Hajdinjak M, Scerri EML, Skoglund P. Origins of modern human ancestry. Nature 2021; 590:229-237. [PMID: 33568824 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03244-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
New finds in the palaeoanthropological and genomic records have changed our view of the origins of modern human ancestry. Here we review our current understanding of how the ancestry of modern humans around the globe can be traced into the deep past, and which ancestors it passes through during our journey back in time. We identify three key phases that are surrounded by major questions, and which will be at the frontiers of future research. The most recent phase comprises the worldwide expansion of modern humans between 40 and 60 thousand years ago (ka) and their last known contacts with archaic groups such as Neanderthals and Denisovans. The second phase is associated with a broadly construed African origin of modern human diversity between 60 and 300 ka. The oldest phase comprises the complex separation of modern human ancestors from archaic human groups from 0.3 to 1 million years ago. We argue that no specific point in time can currently be identified at which modern human ancestry was confined to a limited birthplace, and that patterns of the first appearance of anatomical or behavioural traits that are used to define Homo sapiens are consistent with a range of evolutionary histories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anders Bergström
- Ancient Genomics Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Chris Stringer
- Department of Earth Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK.
| | - Mateja Hajdinjak
- Ancient Genomics Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Eleanor M L Scerri
- Pan-African Evolution Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Science of Human History, Jena, Germany.,Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Malta, Msida, Malta.,Institute of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Pontus Skoglund
- Ancient Genomics Laboratory, Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
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Zhang X, Rayner JG, Blaxter M, Bailey NW. Rapid parallel adaptation despite gene flow in silent crickets. Nat Commun 2021; 12:50. [PMID: 33397914 PMCID: PMC7782688 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20263-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene flow is predicted to impede parallel adaptation via de novo mutation, because it can introduce pre-existing adaptive alleles from population to population. We test this using Hawaiian crickets (Teleogryllus oceanicus) in which 'flatwing' males that lack sound-producing wing structures recently arose and spread under selection from an acoustically-orienting parasitoid. Morphometric and genetic comparisons identify distinct flatwing phenotypes in populations on three islands, localized to different loci. Nevertheless, we detect strong, recent and ongoing gene flow among the populations. Using genome scans and gene expression analysis we find that parallel evolution of flatwing on different islands is associated with shared genomic hotspots of adaptation that contain the gene doublesex, but the form of selection differs among islands and corresponds to known flatwing demographics in the wild. We thus show how parallel adaptation can occur on contemporary timescales despite gene flow, indicating that it could be less constrained than previously appreciated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Zhang
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9TH, UK.
| | - Jack G Rayner
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9TH, UK
| | - Mark Blaxter
- Tree of Life, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, CB10 1SA, UK
| | - Nathan W Bailey
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9TH, UK.
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Benton ML, Abraham A, LaBella AL, Abbot P, Rokas A, Capra JA. The influence of evolutionary history on human health and disease. Nat Rev Genet 2021; 22:269-283. [PMID: 33408383 PMCID: PMC7787134 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-020-00305-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Nearly all genetic variants that influence disease risk have human-specific origins; however, the systems they influence have ancient roots that often trace back to evolutionary events long before the origin of humans. Here, we review how advances in our understanding of the genetic architectures of diseases, recent human evolution and deep evolutionary history can help explain how and why humans in modern environments become ill. Human populations exhibit differences in the prevalence of many common and rare genetic diseases. These differences are largely the result of the diverse environmental, cultural, demographic and genetic histories of modern human populations. Synthesizing our growing knowledge of evolutionary history with genetic medicine, while accounting for environmental and social factors, will help to achieve the promise of personalized genomics and realize the potential hidden in an individual's DNA sequence to guide clinical decisions. In short, precision medicine is fundamentally evolutionary medicine, and integration of evolutionary perspectives into the clinic will support the realization of its full potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Lauren Benton
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA ,grid.252890.40000 0001 2111 2894Department of Computer Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX USA
| | - Abin Abraham
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA ,grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Abigail L. LaBella
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Patrick Abbot
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - Antonis Rokas
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA ,grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA ,grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA
| | - John A. Capra
- grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biomedical Informatics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN USA ,grid.152326.10000 0001 2264 7217Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN USA ,grid.266102.10000 0001 2297 6811Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA USA
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45
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Sarabia C, vonHoldt B, Larrasoaña JC, Uríos V, Leonard JA. Pleistocene climate fluctuations drove demographic history of African golden wolves (Canis lupaster). Mol Ecol 2020; 30:6101-6120. [PMID: 33372365 DOI: 10.1111/mec.15784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Pleistocene climate change impacted entire ecosystems throughout the world. In the northern hemisphere, the distribution of Arctic species expanded during glacial periods, while more temperate and mesic species contracted into climatic refugia, where isolation drove genetic divergence. Cycles of local cooling and warming in the Sahara region of northern Africa caused repeated contractions and expansions of savannah-like environments which connected mesic species isolated in refugia during interglacial times, possibly driving population expansions and contractions; divergence and geneflow in the associated fauna. Here, we use whole genome sequences of African golden wolves (Canis lupaster), a generalist mesopredator with a wide distribution in northern Africa to estimate their demographic history and past episodes of geneflow. We detect a correlation between divergence times and cycles of increased aridity-associated Pleistocene glacial cycles. A complex demographic history with responses to local climate change in different lineages was found, including a relict lineage north of the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco that has been isolated for more than 18,000 years, possibly a distinct ecotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Sarabia
- Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC, Seville, Spain
| | - Bridgett vonHoldt
- Faculty of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Princeton, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | | | - Vicente Uríos
- Vertebrate Zoology Research Group, University of Alicante, Alicante, Spain
| | - Jennifer A Leonard
- Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics Group, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC, Seville, Spain
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46
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Global Picture of Genetic Relatedness and the Evolution of Humankind. BIOLOGY 2020; 9:biology9110392. [PMID: 33182715 PMCID: PMC7696950 DOI: 10.3390/biology9110392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The intricacies of human ancestry are buried deep within our DNA. For years, scientists have been working to piece together a vast picture of our genetic lineage. The purpose of this study was to further reveal this global picture of human genetic relatedness using identical-by-descent (IBD) genomic fragments. We processed over 65 million very rare single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) alleles and detected over 17 million shared IBD fragments, including very short IBD fragments that allowed us to trace common ancestors back to 200,000 years ago. We also determined nine geographical regions representing nine unique genetic components for mankind: East and West Africa, Northern Europe, Arctica, East Asia, Oceania, South Asia, Middle East, and South America. The levels of admixture in every studied population could be assigned to one of these regions and long-term neighboring populations are strikingly similar, despite any political, religious, and cultural differences. Additionally, we observed the topmost admixture to be in central Eurasia. The entire picture of relatedness of all the studied populations presents itself in the form of shared number/size of IBDs, providing novel insights into geographical admixtures and genetic contributions that shaped human ancestry into what it is today. Abstract We performed an exhaustive pairwise comparison of whole-genome sequences of 3120 individuals, representing 232 populations from all continents and seven prehistoric people including archaic and modern humans. In order to reveal an intricate picture of worldwide human genetic relatedness, 65 million very rare single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) alleles have been bioinformatically processed. The number and size of shared identical-by-descent (IBD) genomic fragments for every pair of 3127 individuals have been revealed. Over 17 million shared IBD fragments have been described. Our approach allowed detection of very short IBD fragments (<20 kb) that trace common ancestors who lived up to 200,000 years ago. We detected nine distinct geographical regions within which individuals had strong genetic relatedness, but with negligible relatedness between the populations of these regions. The regions, comprising nine unique genetic components for mankind, are the following: East and West Africa, Northern Europe, Arctica, East Asia, Oceania, South Asia, Middle East, and South America. The level of admixture in every studied population has been apportioned among these nine genetic components. Genetically, long-term neighboring populations are strikingly similar to each other in spite of any political, religious, and cultural differences. The topmost admixture has been observed at the center of Eurasia. These admixed populations (including Uyghurs, Azerbaijanis, Uzbeks, and Iranians) have roughly equal genetic contributions from the Middle East, Europe, China, and India, with additional significant traces from Africa and Arctic. The entire picture of relatedness of all the studied populations unfolds and presents itself in the form of shared number/size of IBDs.
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Zeberg H, Pääbo S. The major genetic risk factor for severe COVID-19 is inherited from Neanderthals. Nature 2020; 587:610-612. [PMID: 32998156 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2818-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 330] [Impact Index Per Article: 82.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A recent genetic association study1 identified a gene cluster on chromosome 3 as a risk locus for respiratory failure after infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A separate study (COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative)2 comprising 3,199 hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and control individuals showed that this cluster is the major genetic risk factor for severe symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospitalization. Here we show that the risk is conferred by a genomic segment of around 50 kilobases in size that is inherited from Neanderthals and is carried by around 50% of people in south Asia and around 16% of people in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Zeberg
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany. .,Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Svante Pääbo
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany. .,Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Onna-son, Japan.
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Abstract
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Nature Reviews Genetics, we asked 12 leading researchers to reflect on the key challenges and opportunities faced by the field of genetics and genomics. Keeping their particular research area in mind, they take stock of the current state of play and emphasize the work that remains to be done over the next few years so that, ultimately, the benefits of genetic and genomic research can be felt by everyone. To celebrate the first 20 years of Nature Reviews Genetics, we asked 12 leading scientists to reflect on the key challenges and opportunities faced by the field of genetics and genomics. Amy L. McGuire is the Leon Jaworski Professor of Biomedical Ethics and Director of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine. She has received numerous teaching awards at Baylor College of Medicine, was recognized by the Texas Executive Women as a Woman on the Move in 2016 and was invited to give a TedMed talk titled “There is No Genome for the Human Spirit” in 2014. In 2020, she was elected as a Hastings Center Fellow. Her research focuses on ethical and policy issues related to emerging technologies, with a particular focus on genomic research, personalized medicine and the clinical integration of novel neurotechnologies. Stacey Gabriel is the Senior Director of the Genomics Platform at the Broad Institute since 2012 and has led platform development, execution and operation since its founding. She is Chair of Institute Scientists and serves on the institute’s executive leadership team. She is widely recognized as a leader in genomic technology and project execution. She has led the Broad’s contributions to numerous flagship projects in human genetics, including the International HapMap Project, the 1000 Genomes Project, The Cancer Genome Atlas, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Exome Sequencing Project and the TOPMed programme. She is Principal Investigator of the Broad’s All of Us (AoU) Genomics Center and serves on the AoU Program Steering Committee. Sarah A. Tishkoff is the David and Lyn Silfen University Associate Professor in Genetics and Biology at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA, and holds appointments in the School of Medicine and the School of Arts and Sciences. She is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences and a recipient of an NIH Pioneer Award, a David and Lucile Packard Career Award, a Burroughs/Wellcome Fund Career Award and an American Society of Human Genetics Curt Stern Award. Her work focuses on genomic variation in Africa, human evolutionary history, the genetic basis of adaptation and phenotypic variation in Africa, and the genetic basis of susceptibility to infectious disease in Africa. Ambroise Wonkam is Professor of Medical Genetics, Director of GeneMAP (Genetic Medicine of African Populations Research Centre) and Deputy Dean Research in the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa. He has successfully led numerous NIH- and Wellcome Trust-funded projects over the past decade to investigate clinical variability in sickle cell disease, hearing impairment genetics and the return of individual findings in genetic research in Africa. He won the competitive Clinical Genetics Society International Award for 2014 from the British Society of Genetic Medicine. He is president of the African Society of Human Genetics. Aravinda Chakravarti is Director of the Center for Human Genetics and Genomics, the Muriel G. and George W. Singer Professor of Neuroscience and Physiology, and Professor of Medicine at New York University School of Medicine. He is an elected member of the US National Academy of Sciences, the US National Academy of Medicine and the Indian National Science Academy. He has been a key participant in the Human Genome Project, the International HapMap Project and the 1000 Genomes Project. His research attempts to understand the molecular basis of multifactorial disease. He was awarded the 2013 William Allan Award by the American Society of Human Genetics and the 2018 Chen Award by the Human Genome Organization. Eileen E. M. Furlong is Head of the Genome Biology Department at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and a member of the EMBL Directorate. She is an elected member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and the Academia Europaea, and a European Research Council (ERC) advanced investigator. Her group dissects fundamental principles of how the genome is regulated and how it drives cell fate decisions during embryonic development, including how developmental enhancers are organized and function within the 3D nucleus. Her work combines genetics, (single-cell) genomics, imaging and computational approaches to understand these processes. Her research has advanced the development of genomic methods for use in complex multicellular organisms. Barbara Treutlein is Associate Professor of Quantitative Developmental Biology in the Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering of ETH Zurich in Basel, Switzerland. Her group uses and develops single-cell genomics approaches in combination with stem cell-based 2D and 3D culture systems to study how human organs develop and regenerate and how cell fate is regulated. For her work, Barbara has received multiple awards, including the Friedmund Neumann Prize of the Schering Foundation, the Dr. Susan Lim Award for Outstanding Young Investigator of the International Society of Stem Cell Research and the EMBO Young Investigator Award. Alexander Meissner is a scientific member of the Max Planck Society and currently Managing Director of the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Molecular Genetics in Berlin, Germany. He heads the Department of Genome Regulation and is a visiting scientist in the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology at Harvard University. Before his move to the MPI, he was a tenured professor at Harvard University and a senior associate member of the Broad Institute, where he co-directed the epigenomics programme. In 2018, he was elected as an EMBO member. His laboratory uses genomic tools to study developmental and disease biology with a particular focus on epigenetic regulation. Howard Y. Chang is the Virginia and D. K. Ludwig Professor of Cancer Genomics at Stanford University and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He is a physician–scientist who has focused on deciphering the hidden information in the non-coding genome. His laboratory is best known for studies of long non-coding RNAs in gene regulation and development of new epigenomic technologies. He is an elected member of the US National Academy of Sciences, the US National Academy of Medicine, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Núria López-Bigas is ICREA research Professor at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine and Associate Professor at the University Pompeu Fabra. She obtained an ERC Consolidator Grant in 2015 and was elected as an EMBO member in 2016. Her work has been recognized with the prestigious Banc de Sabadell Award for Research in Biomedicine, the Catalan National Award for Young Research Talent and the Career Development Award from the Human Frontier Science Program. Her research focuses on the identification of cancer driver mutations, genes and pathways across tumour types and in understanding the mutational processes that lead to the accumulation of mutations in cancer cells. Eran Segal is Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Applied Mathematics at the Weizmann Institute of Science, heading a multidisciplinary laboratory with extensive experience in machine learning, computational biology and analysis of heterogeneous high-throughput genomic data. His research focuses on the microbiome, nutrition and genetics, and their effect on health and disease and aims to develop personalized medicine based on big data from human cohorts. He has published more than 150 publications and received several awards and honours for his work, including the Overton and the Michael Bruno awards. He was recently elected as an EMBO member and as a member of the Israel Young Academy. Jin-Soo Kim is Director of the Center for Genome Engineering in the Institute for Basic Science in Daejon, South Korea. He has received numerous awards, including the 2017 Asan Award in Medicine, the 2017 Yumin Award in Science and the 2019 Research Excellence Award (Federation of Asian and Oceanian Biochemists and Molecular Biologists). He was featured as one of ten Science Stars of East Asia in Nature (558, 502–510 (2018)) and has been recognized as a highly cited researcher by Clarivate Analytics since 2018. His work focuses on developing tools for genome editing in biomedical research.
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Carlson J, DeWitt WS, Harris K. Inferring evolutionary dynamics of mutation rates through the lens of mutation spectrum variation. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2020; 62:50-57. [PMID: 32619789 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2020.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
There are many possible failure points in the transmission of genetic information that can produce heritable germline mutations. Once a mutation has been passed from parents to offspring for several generations, it can be difficult or impossible to identify its root cause; however, sometimes the nature of the ancestral and derived DNA sequences can provide mechanistic clues about a genetic change that happened hundreds or thousands of generations ago. Here, we review evidence that the sequence context 'spectrum' of germline mutagenesis has been evolving surprisingly rapidly over the history of humans and other species. We go on to discuss possible causal factors that might underlie rapid mutation spectrum evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jedidiah Carlson
- Department of Genome Sciences, Foege Hall, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, United States
| | - William S DeWitt
- Department of Genome Sciences, Foege Hall, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, United States; Computational Biology Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle, WA 98109, United States
| | - Kelley Harris
- Department of Genome Sciences, Foege Hall, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, United States; Computational Biology Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Eastlake Ave E, Seattle, WA 98109, United States.
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Sankararaman S. Methods for detecting introgressed archaic sequences. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2020; 62:85-90. [PMID: 32717667 PMCID: PMC7484293 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2020.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of genome sequences from archaic and modern humans have revealed multiple episodes of admixture between highly-diverged population groups. Statistical methods that attempt to localize DNA segments introduced by these events offer a powerful tool to investigate recent human evolution. We review recent advances in methods for detecting introgressed sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriram Sankararaman
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States; Department of Computational Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States.
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