1
|
Padilla-Iglesias C, Blanco-Portillo J, Pricop B, Ioannidis AG, Bickel B, Manica A, Vinicius L, Migliano AB. Deep history of cultural and linguistic evolution among Central African hunter-gatherers. Nat Hum Behav 2024; 8:1263-1275. [PMID: 38802540 PMCID: PMC11272592 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01891-y] [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: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Human evolutionary history in Central Africa reflects a deep history of population connectivity. However, Central African hunter-gatherers (CAHGs) currently speak languages acquired from their neighbouring farmers. Hence it remains unclear which aspects of CAHG cultural diversity results from long-term evolution preceding agriculture and which reflect borrowing from farmers. On the basis of musical instruments, foraging tools, specialized vocabulary and genome-wide data from ten CAHG populations, we reveal evidence of large-scale cultural interconnectivity among CAHGs before and after the Bantu expansion. We also show that the distribution of hunter-gatherer musical instruments correlates with the oldest genomic segments in our sample predating farming. Music-related words are widely shared between western and eastern groups and likely precede the borrowing of Bantu languages. In contrast, subsistence tools are less frequently exchanged and may result from adaptation to local ecologies. We conclude that CAHG material culture and specialized lexicon reflect a long evolutionary history in Central Africa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Padilla-Iglesias
- Human Evolutionary Ecology Group, Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | | | - Bogdan Pricop
- Department of Comparative Language Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Balthasar Bickel
- Department of Comparative Language Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Manica
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Lucio Vinicius
- Human Evolutionary Ecology Group, Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Bamberg Migliano
- Human Evolutionary Ecology Group, Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Language Evolution, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Kess T, Lehnert SJ, Bentzen P, Duffy S, Messmer A, Dempson JB, Newport J, Whidden C, Robertson MJ, Chaput G, Breau C, April J, Gillis C, Kent M, Nugent CM, Bradbury IR. Variable parallelism in the genomic basis of age at maturity across spatial scales in Atlantic Salmon. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11068. [PMID: 38584771 PMCID: PMC10995719 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11068] [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: 01/06/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Complex traits often exhibit complex underlying genetic architectures resulting from a combination of evolution from standing variation, hard and soft sweeps, and alleles of varying effect size. Increasingly, studies implicate both large-effect loci and polygenic patterns underpinning adaptation, but the extent that common genetic architectures are utilized during repeated adaptation is not well understood. Sea age or age at maturation represents a significant life history trait in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar), the genetic basis of which has been studied extensively in European Atlantic populations, with repeated identification of large-effect loci. However, the genetic basis of sea age within North American Atlantic Salmon populations remains unclear, as does the potential for a parallel trans-Atlantic genomic basis to sea age. Here, we used a large single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array and low-coverage whole-genome resequencing to explore the genomic basis of sea age variation in North American Atlantic Salmon. We found significant associations at the gene and SNP level with a large-effect locus (vgll3) previously identified in European populations, indicating genetic parallelism, but found that this pattern varied based on both sex and geographic region. We also identified nonrepeated sets of highly predictive loci associated with sea age among populations and sexes within North America, indicating polygenicity and low rates of genomic parallelism. Despite low genome-wide parallelism, we uncovered a set of conserved molecular pathways associated with sea age that were consistently enriched among comparisons, including calcium signaling, MapK signaling, focal adhesion, and phosphatidylinositol signaling. Together, our results indicate parallelism of the molecular basis of sea age in North American Atlantic Salmon across large-effect genes and molecular pathways despite population-specific patterns of polygenicity. These findings reveal roles for both contingency and repeated adaptation at the molecular level in the evolution of life history variation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tony Kess
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries CentreFisheries and Oceans CanadaSt. John'sNewfoundland and LabradorCanada
| | - Sarah J. Lehnert
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries CentreFisheries and Oceans CanadaSt. John'sNewfoundland and LabradorCanada
| | - Paul Bentzen
- Department of BiologyDalhousie UniversityHalifaxNova ScotiaCanada
| | - Steven Duffy
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries CentreFisheries and Oceans CanadaSt. John'sNewfoundland and LabradorCanada
| | - Amber Messmer
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries CentreFisheries and Oceans CanadaSt. John'sNewfoundland and LabradorCanada
| | - J. Brian Dempson
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries CentreFisheries and Oceans CanadaSt. John'sNewfoundland and LabradorCanada
| | - Jason Newport
- Marine Environmental Research Infrastructure for Data Integration and Application NetworkHalifaxNova ScotiaCanada
| | | | - Martha J. Robertson
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries CentreFisheries and Oceans CanadaSt. John'sNewfoundland and LabradorCanada
| | - Gerald Chaput
- Fisheries and Oceans CanadaGulf Fisheries CentreMonctonNew BrunswickCanada
| | - Cindy Breau
- Fisheries and Oceans CanadaGulf Fisheries CentreMonctonNew BrunswickCanada
| | - Julien April
- Ministère des Forêts de la Faune et des ParcsQuebecQuebecCanada
| | - Carole‐Anne Gillis
- Gespe'gewa'gi, Mi'gma'qi, ListugujGespe'gewa'gi Institute of Natural UnderstandingQuebecQuebecCanada
| | - Matthew Kent
- Centre for Integrative GeneticsNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | - Cameron M. Nugent
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries CentreFisheries and Oceans CanadaSt. John'sNewfoundland and LabradorCanada
| | - Ian R. Bradbury
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries CentreFisheries and Oceans CanadaSt. John'sNewfoundland and LabradorCanada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Padilla-Iglesias C, Derkx I. Hunter-gatherer genetics research: Importance and avenues. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2024; 6:e15. [PMID: 38516374 PMCID: PMC10955370 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2024.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Major developments in the field of genetics in the past few decades have revolutionised notions of what it means to be human. Although currently only a few populations around the world practise a hunting and gathering lifestyle, this mode of subsistence has characterised members of our species since its very origins and allowed us to migrate across the planet. Therefore, the geographical distribution of hunter-gatherer populations, dependence on local ecosystems and connections to past populations and neighbouring groups have provided unique insights into our evolutionary origins. However, given the vulnerable status of hunter-gatherers worldwide, the development of the field of anthropological genetics requires that we reevaluate how we conduct research with these communities. Here, we review how the inclusion of hunter-gatherer populations in genetics studies has advanced our understanding of human origins, ancient population migrations and interactions as well as phenotypic adaptations and adaptability to different environments, and the important scientific and medical applications of these advancements. At the same time, we highlight the necessity to address yet unresolved questions and identify areas in which the field may benefit from improvements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Inez Derkx
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Xia T, Nakayama K. Signatures of adaptation in myopia-related genes on the sunlight exposure hypothesis. J Physiol Anthropol 2023; 42:25. [PMID: 37919796 PMCID: PMC10621121 DOI: 10.1186/s40101-023-00341-4] [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: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Myopia is a common eye disorder that results from gene-environment interactions. The prevalence of myopia varies across populations, and exposure to bright sunlight may prevent its development. We hypothesize that local adaptation to light environments during human migration played a role in shaping the genetic basis of myopia, and we aim to investigate how the environment influences the genetic basis of myopia. METHOD We utilized the whole-genome variant data of the 1000 Genomes Project for analysis. We searched myopia-associated loci that were under selection in Europeans using population branch statistics and the number of segregating sites by length statistics. The outliers of these statistics were enriched in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways and the gene ontology biological process terms in searching for pathways that were under selection. We applied Bayesian inference to estimate the correlation between environmental factors and allele frequencies of the selected loci and performed causal inference of myopia using two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis. RESULTS We detected signatures of adaptation in vision and light perception pathways, supporting our hypothesis of sunlight adaptation. We discovered a strong correlation between latitude and allele frequencies in genes that are under significant selection, and we found pleiotropic effects of pigmentation or circadian rhythm genes on myopia, indicating that sunlight exposure influences the genetic diversity of myopia. CONCLUSIONS Myopia genes involved in light perception showed signs of selection. Local adaptation during human migration shaped the genetic basis of myopia and may have influenced its global prevalence distribution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tian Xia
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, 277-8562, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Nakayama
- Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, 277-8562, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
De Lillo A, Wendt FR, Pathak GA, Polimanti R. Characterizing the polygenic architecture of complex traits in populations of East Asian and European descent. Hum Genomics 2023; 17:67. [PMID: 37475089 PMCID: PMC10360343 DOI: 10.1186/s40246-023-00514-3] [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: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
To investigate the polygenicity of complex traits in populations of East Asian (EAS) and European (EUR) descents, we leveraged genome-wide data from Biobank Japan, UK Biobank, and FinnGen cohorts. Specifically, we analyzed up to 215 outcomes related to 18 health domains, assessing their polygenic architecture via descriptive statistics, such as the proportion of susceptibility SNPs per trait (πc). While we did not observe EAS-EUR differences in the overall distribution of polygenicity parameters across the phenotypes investigated, there were ancestry-specific patterns in the polygenicity differences between health domains. In EAS, pairwise comparisons across health domains showed enrichment for πc differences related to hematological and metabolic traits (hematological fold-enrichment = 4.45, p = 2.15 × 10-7; metabolic fold-enrichment = 4.05, p = 4.01 × 10-6). For both categories, the proportion of susceptibility SNPs was lower than that observed for several other health domains (EAS-hematological median πc = 0.15%, EAS-metabolic median πc = 0.18%) with the strongest πc difference with respect to respiratory traits (EAS-respiratory median πc = 0.50%; hematological-p = 2.26 × 10-3; metabolic-p = 3.48 × 10-3). In EUR, pairwise comparisons showed multiple πc differences related to the endocrine category (fold-enrichment = 5.83, p = 4.76 × 10-6), where these traits showed a low proportion of susceptibility SNPs (EUR-endocrine median πc = 0.01%) with the strongest difference with respect to psychiatric phenotypes (EUR-psychiatric median πc = 0.50%; p = 1.19 × 10-4). Simulating sample sizes of 1,000,000 and 5,000,000 individuals, we also showed that ancestry-specific polygenicity patterns translate into differences across health domains in the genetic variance explained by susceptibility SNPs projected to be genome-wide significant (e.g., EAS hematological-neoplasm p = 2.18 × 10-4; EUR endocrine-gastrointestinal p = 6.80 × 10-4). These findings highlight that traits related to the same health domains may present ancestry-specific variability in their polygenicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonella De Lillo
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 Temple, Suite 7A, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Frank R Wendt
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 Temple, Suite 7A, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Mississauga, ON, Canada
- Biostatistics Division, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Gita A Pathak
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 Temple, Suite 7A, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, USA
| | - Renato Polimanti
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 Temple, Suite 7A, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
- VA CT Healthcare Center, West Haven, CT, USA.
- Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Veilleux CC, Garrett EC, Pajic P, Saitou M, Ochieng J, Dagsaan LD, Dominy NJ, Perry GH, Gokcumen O, Melin AD. Human subsistence and signatures of selection on chemosensory genes. Commun Biol 2023; 6:683. [PMID: 37400713 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05047-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chemosensation (olfaction, taste) is essential for detecting and assessing foods, such that dietary shifts elicit evolutionary changes in vertebrate chemosensory genes. The transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture dramatically altered how humans acquire food. Recent genetic and linguistic studies suggest agriculture may have precipitated olfactory degeneration. Here, we explore the effects of subsistence behaviors on olfactory (OR) and taste (TASR) receptor genes among rainforest foragers and neighboring agriculturalists in Africa and Southeast Asia. We analyze 378 functional OR and 26 functional TASR genes in 133 individuals across populations in Uganda (Twa, Sua, BaKiga) and the Philippines (Agta, Mamanwa, Manobo) with differing subsistence histories. We find no evidence of relaxed selection on chemosensory genes in agricultural populations. However, we identify subsistence-related signatures of local adaptation on chemosensory genes within each geographic region. Our results highlight the importance of culture, subsistence economy, and drift in human chemosensory perception.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carrie C Veilleux
- Department of Anatomy, Midwestern University, 19555 N 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ, 85308, USA.
- Department of Anthropology & Archaeology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Eva C Garrett
- Department of Anthropology & Archaeology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
- Department of Anthropology, Boston University, 232 Bay State Road, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Petar Pajic
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, 109 Cooke Hall, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA
| | - Marie Saitou
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, 109 Cooke Hall, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA
| | - Joseph Ochieng
- Department of Anatomy, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Lilia D Dagsaan
- National Commission for Indigenous Peoples, Botolan, Philippines
| | - Nathaniel J Dominy
- Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, 6047 Silsby Hall, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - George H Perry
- Departments of Anthropology and Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, 410 Carpenter Building, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Omer Gokcumen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, 109 Cooke Hall, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA
| | - Amanda D Melin
- Department of Anthropology & Archaeology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.
- Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, 3330 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4N1, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
De Lillo A, Wendt FR, Pathak GA, Polimanti R. Characterizing the polygenic architecture of complex traits in populations of East Asian and European descent. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.05.25.23290542. [PMID: 37398225 PMCID: PMC10312887 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.25.23290542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the polygenicity of complex traits in populations of East Asian (EAS) and European (EUR) descents, we leveraged genome-wide data from Biobank Japan, UK Biobank, and FinnGen cohorts. Specifically, we analyzed up to 215 outcomes related to 18 health domains, assessing their polygenic architecture via descriptive statistics, such as the proportion of susceptibility SNPs per trait (π c ). While we did not observe EAS-EUR differences in the overall distribution of polygenicity parameters across the phenotypes investigated, there were ancestry-specific patterns in the polygenicity differences between health domains. In EAS, pairwise comparisons across health domains showed enrichment for π c differences related to hematological and metabolic traits (hematological fold-enrichment=4.45, p=2.15×10 -7 ; metabolic fold-enrichment=4.05, p=4.01×10 -6 ). For both categories, the proportion of susceptibility SNPs was lower than that observed for several other health domains (EAS-hematological median π c =0.15%, EAS-metabolic median π c =0.18%) with the strongest π c difference with respect to respiratory traits (EAS-respiratory median π c =0.50%; Hematological-p=2.26×10 -3 ; Metabolic-p=3.48×10 -3 ). In EUR, pairwise comparisons showed multiple π c differences related to the endocrine category (fold-enrichment=5.83, p=4.76×10 -6 ), where these traits showed a low proportion of susceptibility SNPs (EUR-endocrine median π c =0.01%) with the strongest difference with respect to psychiatric phenotypes (EUR-psychiatric median π c =0.50%; p=1.19×10 -4 ). Simulating sample sizes of 1,000,000 and 5,000,000 individuals, we also showed that ancestry-specific polygenicity patterns translate into differences across health domains in the genetic variance explained by susceptibility SNPs projected to be genome-wide significant (e.g., EAS hematological-neoplasm p=2.18×10 -4 ; EUR endocrine-gastrointestinal p=6.80×10 -4 ). These findings highlight that traits related to the same health domains may present ancestry-specific variability in their polygenicity.
Collapse
|
8
|
Couto-Silva CM, Nunes K, Venturini G, Araújo Castro e Silva M, Pereira LV, Comas D, Pereira A, Hünemeier T. Indigenous people from Amazon show genetic signatures of pathogen-driven selection. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eabo0234. [PMID: 36888716 PMCID: PMC9995071 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abo0234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Ecological conditions in the Amazon rainforests are historically favorable for the transmission of numerous tropical diseases, especially vector-borne diseases. The high diversity of pathogens likely contributes to the strong selective pressures for human survival and reproduction in this region. However, the genetic basis of human adaptation to this complex ecosystem remains unclear. This study investigates the possible footprints of genetic adaptation to the Amazon rainforest environment by analyzing the genomic data of 19 native populations. The results based on genomic and functional analysis showed an intense signal of natural selection in a set of genes related to Trypanosoma cruzi infection, which is the pathogen responsible for Chagas disease, a neglected tropical parasitic disease native to the Americas that is currently spreading worldwide.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cainã M. Couto-Silva
- Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508090, Brazil
| | - Kelly Nunes
- Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508090, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Venturini
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Laboratório de Genética e Cardiologia Molecular, Instituto do Coração, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcos Araújo Castro e Silva
- Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508090, Brazil
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, Departament de Medicina i Ciències de la Vida, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Lygia V. Pereira
- Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508090, Brazil
| | - David Comas
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, Departament de Medicina i Ciències de la Vida, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Alexandre Pereira
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Laboratório de Genética e Cardiologia Molecular, Instituto do Coração, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Tábita Hünemeier
- Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, 05508090, Brazil
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC/Universitat Pompeu Fabra), Barcelona 08003, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Fan S, Spence JP, Feng Y, Hansen MEB, Terhorst J, Beltrame MH, Ranciaro A, Hirbo J, Beggs W, Thomas N, Nyambo T, Mpoloka SW, Mokone GG, Njamnshi A, Folkunang C, Meskel DW, Belay G, Song YS, Tishkoff SA. Whole-genome sequencing reveals a complex African population demographic history and signatures of local adaptation. Cell 2023; 186:923-939.e14. [PMID: 36868214 PMCID: PMC10568978 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.01.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2022] [Revised: 10/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
We conduct high coverage (>30×) whole-genome sequencing of 180 individuals from 12 indigenous African populations. We identify millions of unreported variants, many predicted to be functionally important. We observe that the ancestors of southern African San and central African rainforest hunter-gatherers (RHG) diverged from other populations >200 kya and maintained a large effective population size. We observe evidence for ancient population structure in Africa and for multiple introgression events from "ghost" populations with highly diverged genetic lineages. Although currently geographically isolated, we observe evidence for gene flow between eastern and southern Khoesan-speaking hunter-gatherer populations lasting until ∼12 kya. We identify signatures of local adaptation for traits related to skin color, immune response, height, and metabolic processes. We identify a positively selected variant in the lightly pigmented San that influences pigmentation in vitro by regulating the enhancer activity and gene expression of PDPK1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- 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; Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jeffrey P Spence
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yuanqing Feng
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Matthew E B Hansen
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jonathan Terhorst
- Department of Statistics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Marcia H Beltrame
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Alessia Ranciaro
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jibril Hirbo
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - William Beggs
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Neil Thomas
- Computer Science Division, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Thomas Nyambo
- Department of Biochemistry, Kampala International University in Tanzania, P.O. Box 9790, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Sununguko Wata Mpoloka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Botswana Gaborone, Private Bag UB 0022, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Gaonyadiwe George Mokone
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana Gaborone, Private Bag UB 0022, Gaborone, Botswana
| | - Alfred Njamnshi
- Department of Neurology, Central Hospital Yaoundé; Brain Research Africa Initiative (BRAIN), Neuroscience Lab, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 337, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Charles Folkunang
- Department of Pharmacotoxicology and Pharmacokinetics, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 337, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Dawit Wolde Meskel
- Department of Microbial Cellular and Molecular Biology, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Gurja Belay
- Department of Microbial Cellular and Molecular Biology, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Yun S Song
- Computer Science Division, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Statistics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sarah A Tishkoff
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Saitou M, Masuda N, Gokcumen O. Similarity-Based Analysis of Allele Frequency Distribution among Multiple Populations Identifies Adaptive Genomic Structural Variants. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:msab313. [PMID: 34718708 PMCID: PMC8896759 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural variants have a considerable impact on human genomic diversity. However, their evolutionary history remains mostly unexplored. Here, we developed a new method to identify potentially adaptive structural variants based on a similarity-based analysis that incorporates genotype frequency data from 26 populations simultaneously. Using this method, we analyzed 57,629 structural variants and identified 576 structural variants that show unusual population differentiation. Of these putatively adaptive structural variants, we further showed that 24 variants are multiallelic and overlap with coding sequences, and 20 variants are significantly associated with GWAS traits. Closer inspection of the haplotypic variation associated with these putatively adaptive and functional structural variants reveals deviations from neutral expectations due to: 1) population differentiation of rapidly evolving multiallelic variants, 2) incomplete sweeps, and 3) recent population-specific negative selection. Overall, our study provides new methodological insights, documents hundreds of putatively adaptive variants, and introduces evolutionary models that may better explain the complex evolution of structural variants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie Saitou
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Section of Genetic Medicine, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Naoki Masuda
- Department of Mathematics, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
- Computational and Data-Enabled Science and Engineering Program, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Omer Gokcumen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Deng L, Pan Y, Wang Y, Chen H, Yuan K, Chen S, Lu D, Lu Y, Mokhtar SS, Rahman TA, Hoh BP, Xu S. Genetic Connections and Convergent Evolution of Tropical Indigenous Peoples in Asia. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:msab361. [PMID: 34940850 PMCID: PMC8826522 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msab361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Tropical indigenous peoples in Asia (TIA) attract much attention for their unique appearance, whereas their genetic history and adaptive evolution remain mysteries. We conducted a comprehensive study to characterize the genetic distinction and connection of broad geographical TIAs. Despite the diverse genetic makeup and large interarea genetic differentiation between the TIA groups, we identified a basal Asian ancestry (bASN) specifically shared by these populations. The bASN ancestry was relatively enriched in ancient Asian human genomes dated as early as ∼50,000 years before the present and diminished in more recent history. Notably, the bASN ancestry is unlikely to be derived from archaic hominins. Instead, we suggest it may be better modeled as a survived lineage of the initial peopling of Asia. Shared adaptations inherited from the ancient Asian ancestry were detected among the TIA groups (e.g., LIMS1 for hair morphology, and COL24A1 for bone formation), and they are enriched in neurological functions either at an identical locus (e.g., NKAIN3), or different loci in an identical gene (e.g., TENM4). The bASN ancestry could also have formed the substrate of the genetic architecture of the dark pigmentation observed in the TIA peoples. We hypothesize that phenotypic convergence of the dark pigmentation in TIAs could have resulted from parallel (e.g., DDB1/DAK) or genetic convergence driven by admixture (e.g., MTHFD1 and RAD18), new mutations (e.g., STK11), or notably purifying selection (e.g., MC1R). Our results provide new insights into the initial peopling of Asia and an advanced understanding of the phenotypic convergence of the TIA peoples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lian Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuwen Pan
- Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yinan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Kai Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Sihan Chen
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongsheng Lu
- Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Siti Shuhada Mokhtar
- Institute of Medical Molecular Biotechnology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Thuhairah Abdul Rahman
- Clinical Pathology Diagnostic Centre Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Sungai Buloh Campus, Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Boon-Peng Hoh
- Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UCSI University, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Shuhua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Center for Evolutionary Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Sciences, Human Phenome Institute, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Phylogenomics and Comparative Genomics, School of Life Sciences, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, China
- Henan Institute of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Evolutionary Changes in Pathways and Networks of Genes Expressed in the Brains of Humans and Macaques. J Mol Neurosci 2021; 71:1825-1837. [PMID: 34191269 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-021-01874-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
As the key organ that separates humans from nonhuman primates, the brain has continuously evolved to adapt to environmental and climatic changes. Although humans share most genetic, molecular, and cellular features with other primates such as macaques, there are significant differences in the structure and function of the brain between humans and these species. Thus, exploring the differences between the brains of human and nonhuman primates in the context of evolution will provide insights into the development, functionality, and diseases of the human central nervous system (CNS). Since the genes involved in many aspects of the human brain are under common pressures of natural selection, their evolutionary features can be analyzed collectively at the pathway level. In this study, the molecular mechanisms underlying human brain capabilities were explored by comparing the evolution features of pathways enriched in genes expressed in the human brain and the macaque brain. We identified 31 pathways with differential evolutionary properties, including those related to neurological diseases, signal transduction, immunological response, and metabolic processes. By analyzing genes differentially expressed in brain regions or development stages between humans and macaques, 9 and 4 pathways with differential evolutionary properties were detected, respectively. We further performed crosstalk analysis on the pathways to obtain an intuitive correlation between the pathways, which is helpful in understanding the mechanisms of interaction between pathways. Our results provide on a comprehensive view of the evolutionary pathways of the human CNS and can serve as a reference for the study of human brain development.
Collapse
|
13
|
Roycroft E, Achmadi A, Callahan CM, Esselstyn JA, Good JM, Moussalli A, Rowe KC. Molecular Evolution of Ecological Specialisation: Genomic Insights from the Diversification of Murine Rodents. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6275684. [PMID: 33988699 PMCID: PMC8258016 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptive radiations are characterized by the diversification and ecological differentiation of species, and replicated cases of this process provide natural experiments for understanding the repeatability and pace of molecular evolution. During adaptive radiation, genes related to ecological specialization may be subject to recurrent positive directional selection. However, it is not clear to what extent patterns of lineage-specific ecological specialization (including phenotypic convergence) are correlated with shared signatures of molecular evolution. To test this, we sequenced whole exomes from a phylogenetically dispersed sample of 38 murine rodent species, a group characterized by multiple, nested adaptive radiations comprising extensive ecological and phenotypic diversity. We found that genes associated with immunity, reproduction, diet, digestion, and taste have been subject to pervasive positive selection during the diversification of murine rodents. We also found a significant correlation between genome-wide positive selection and dietary specialization, with a higher proportion of positively selected codon sites in derived dietary forms (i.e., carnivores and herbivores) than in ancestral forms (i.e., omnivores). Despite striking convergent evolution of skull morphology and dentition in two distantly related worm-eating specialists, we did not detect more genes with shared signatures of positive or relaxed selection than in a nonconvergent species comparison. Although a small number of the genes we detected can be incidentally linked to craniofacial morphology or diet, protein-coding regions are unlikely to be the primary genetic basis of this complex convergent phenotype. Our results suggest a link between positive selection and derived ecological phenotypes, and highlight specific genes and general functional categories that may have played an integral role in the extensive and rapid diversification of murine rodents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily Roycroft
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Sciences Department, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Anang Achmadi
- Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Center for Biology, Cibinong, Jawa Barat, Indonesia
| | - Colin M Callahan
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Jacob A Esselstyn
- Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Jeffrey M Good
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA.,Wildlife Biology Program, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA
| | - Adnan Moussalli
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Sciences Department, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kevin C Rowe
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Sciences Department, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Whiting JR, Paris JR, van der Zee MJ, Parsons PJ, Weigel D, Fraser BA. Drainage-structuring of ancestral variation and a common functional pathway shape limited genomic convergence in natural high- and low-predation guppies. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009566. [PMID: 34029313 PMCID: PMC8177651 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies of convergence in wild populations have been instrumental in understanding adaptation by providing strong evidence for natural selection. At the genetic level, we are beginning to appreciate that the re-use of the same genes in adaptation occurs through different mechanisms and can be constrained by underlying trait architectures and demographic characteristics of natural populations. Here, we explore these processes in naturally adapted high- (HP) and low-predation (LP) populations of the Trinidadian guppy, Poecilia reticulata. As a model for phenotypic change this system provided some of the earliest evidence of rapid and repeatable evolution in vertebrates; the genetic basis of which has yet to be studied at the whole-genome level. We collected whole-genome sequencing data from ten populations (176 individuals) representing five independent HP-LP river pairs across the three main drainages in Northern Trinidad. We evaluate population structure, uncovering several LP bottlenecks and variable between-river introgression that can lead to constraints on the sharing of adaptive variation between populations. Consequently, we found limited selection on common genes or loci across all drainages. Using a pathway type analysis, however, we find evidence of repeated selection on different genes involved in cadherin signaling. Finally, we found a large repeatedly selected haplotype on chromosome 20 in three rivers from the same drainage. Taken together, despite limited sharing of adaptive variation among rivers, we found evidence of convergent evolution associated with HP-LP environments in pathways across divergent drainages and at a previously unreported candidate haplotype within a drainage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James R. Whiting
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | | | | | - Paul J. Parsons
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Detlef Weigel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bonnie A. Fraser
- Department of Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Harris AM, DeGiorgio M. A Likelihood Approach for Uncovering Selective Sweep Signatures from Haplotype Data. Mol Biol Evol 2021; 37:3023-3046. [PMID: 32392293 PMCID: PMC7530616 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa115] [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] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Selective sweeps are frequent and varied signatures in the genomes of natural populations, and detecting them is consequently important in understanding mechanisms of adaptation by natural selection. Following a selective sweep, haplotypic diversity surrounding the site under selection decreases, and this deviation from the background pattern of variation can be applied to identify sweeps. Multiple methods exist to locate selective sweeps in the genome from haplotype data, but none leverages the power of a model-based approach to make their inference. Here, we propose a likelihood ratio test statistic T to probe whole-genome polymorphism data sets for selective sweep signatures. Our framework uses a simple but powerful model of haplotype frequency spectrum distortion to find sweeps and additionally make an inference on the number of presently sweeping haplotypes in a population. We found that the T statistic is suitable for detecting both hard and soft sweeps across a variety of demographic models, selection strengths, and ages of the beneficial allele. Accordingly, we applied the T statistic to variant calls from European and sub-Saharan African human populations, yielding primarily literature-supported candidates, including LCT, RSPH3, and ZNF211 in CEU, SYT1, RGS18, and NNT in YRI, and HLA genes in both populations. We also searched for sweep signatures in Drosophila melanogaster, finding expected candidates at Ace, Uhg1, and Pimet. Finally, we provide open-source software to compute the T statistic and the inferred number of presently sweeping haplotypes from whole-genome data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre M Harris
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.,Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
| | - Michael DeGiorgio
- Department of Computer and Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Hernandez M, Perry GH. Scanning the human genome for "signatures" of positive selection: Transformative opportunities and ethical obligations. Evol Anthropol 2021; 30:113-121. [PMID: 33788352 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The relationship history of evolutionary anthropology and genetics is complex. At best, genetics is a beautifully integrative part of the discipline. Yet this integration has also been fraught, with punctuated, disruptive challenges to dogma, periodic reluctance by some members of the field to embrace results from analyses of genetic data, and occasional over-assertions of genetic definitiveness by geneticists. At worst, evolutionary genetics has been a tool for reinforcing racism and colonialism. While a number of genetics/genomics papers have disproportionately impacted evolutionary anthropology, here we highlight the 2002 presentation of an elegantly powerful approach for identifying "signatures" of past positive selection from haplotype-based patterns of genetic variation. Together with technological advances in genotyping methods, this article transformed our field by facilitating genome-wide "scans" for signatures of past positive selection in human populations. This approach helped researchers test longstanding evolutionary anthropology hypotheses while simultaneously providing opportunities to develop entirely new ones. Genome-wide scans for signatures of positive selection have since been conducted in diverse worldwide populations, with striking findings of local adaptation and convergent evolution. Yet there are ethical considerations with respect to the ubiquity of these studies and the cross-application of the genome-wide scan approach to existing datasets, which we also discuss.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Hernandez
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - George H Perry
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Abraham-Juárez MJ, Schrager-Lavelle A, Man J, Whipple C, Handakumbura P, Babbitt C, Bartlett M. Evolutionary Variation in MADS Box Dimerization Affects Floral Development and Protein Abundance in Maize. THE PLANT CELL 2020; 32:3408-3424. [PMID: 32873631 PMCID: PMC7610293 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.20.00300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Interactions between MADS box transcription factors are critical in the regulation of floral development, and shifting MADS box protein-protein interactions are predicted to have influenced floral evolution. However, precisely how evolutionary variation in protein-protein interactions affects MADS box protein function remains unknown. To assess the impact of changing MADS box protein-protein interactions on transcription factor function, we turned to the grasses, where interactions between B-class MADS box proteins vary. We tested the functional consequences of this evolutionary variability using maize (Zea mays) as an experimental system. We found that differential B-class dimerization was associated with subtle, quantitative differences in stamen shape. In contrast, differential dimerization resulted in large-scale changes to downstream gene expression. Differential dimerization also affected B-class complex composition and abundance, independent of transcript levels. This indicates that differential B-class dimerization affects protein degradation, revealing an important consequence for evolutionary variability in MADS box interactions. Our results highlight complexity in the evolution of developmental gene networks: changing protein-protein interactions could affect not only the composition of transcription factor complexes but also their degradation and persistence in developing flowers. Our results also show how coding change in a pleiotropic master regulator could have small, quantitative effects on development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María Jazmín Abraham-Juárez
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 01003 Massachusetts
- CONACYT-Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica A.C., 78216 San Luis Potosi, Mexico
| | - Amanda Schrager-Lavelle
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 01003 Massachusetts
- Biology Department, Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, 81501 Colorado
| | - Jarrett Man
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 01003 Massachusetts
| | - Clinton Whipple
- Biology Department, Brigham Young University, Provo, 84602 Utah
| | - Pubudu Handakumbura
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 01003 Massachusetts
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, 99354 Washington
| | - Courtney Babbitt
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 01003 Massachusetts
| | - Madelaine Bartlett
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 01003 Massachusetts
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Lewis JJ, Van Belleghem SM, Papa R, Danko CG, Reed RD. Many functionally connected loci foster adaptive diversification along a neotropical hybrid zone. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/39/eabb8617. [PMID: 32978147 PMCID: PMC7518860 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb8617] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Characterizing the genetic complexity of adaptation and trait evolution is a major emphasis of evolutionary biology and genetics. Incongruent findings from genetic studies have resulted in conceptual models ranging from a few large-effect loci to massively polygenic architectures. Here, we combine chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing, Hi-C, RNA sequencing, and 40 whole-genome sequences from Heliconius butterflies to show that red color pattern diversification occurred via many genomic loci. We find that the red wing pattern master regulatory transcription factor Optix binds dozens of loci also under selection, which frequently form three-dimensional adaptive hubs with selection acting on multiple physically interacting genes. Many Optix-bound genes under selection are tied to pigmentation and wing development, and these loci collectively maintain separation between adaptive red color pattern phenotypes in natural populations. We propose a model of trait evolution where functional connections between loci may resolve much of the disparity between large-effect and polygenic evolutionary models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James J Lewis
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | | | - Riccardo Papa
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Molecular Sciences and Research Center, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Charles G Danko
- Baker Institute for Animal Health, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Robert D Reed
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Mathieson I. Human adaptation over the past 40,000 years. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2020; 62:97-104. [PMID: 32745952 PMCID: PMC7484260 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2020.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 05/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Over the past few years several methodological and data-driven advances have greatly improved our ability to robustly detect genomic signatures of selection in humans. New methods applied to large samples of present-day genomes provide increased power, while ancient DNA allows precise estimation of timing and tempo. However, despite these advances, we are still limited in our ability to translate these signatures into understanding about which traits were actually under selection, and why. Combining information from different populations and timescales may allow interpretation of selective sweeps. Other modes of selection have proved more difficult to detect. In particular, despite strong evidence of the polygenicity of most human traits, evidence for polygenic selection is weak, and its importance in recent human evolution remains unclear. Balancing selection and archaic introgression seem important for the maintenance of potentially adaptive immune diversity, but perhaps less so for other traits.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iain Mathieson
- Department of Genetics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Grogan KE, Perry GH. Studying human and nonhuman primate evolutionary biology with powerful in vitro and in vivo functional genomics tools. Evol Anthropol 2020; 29:143-158. [PMID: 32142200 PMCID: PMC10574139 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, tools for functional genomic studies have become increasingly feasible for use by evolutionary anthropologists. In this review, we provide brief overviews of several exciting in vitro techniques that can be paired with "-omics" approaches (e.g., genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) for potentially powerful evolutionary insights. These in vitro techniques include ancestral protein resurrection, cell line experiments using primary, immortalized, and induced pluripotent stem cells, and CRISPR-Cas9 genetic manipulation. We also discuss how several of these methods can be used in vivo, for transgenic organism studies of human and nonhuman primate evolution. Throughout this review, we highlight example studies in which these approaches have already been used to inform our understanding of the evolutionary biology of modern and archaic humans and other primates while simultaneously identifying future opportunities for anthropologists to use this toolkit to help answer additional outstanding questions in evolutionary anthropology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen E. Grogan
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
| | - George H. Perry
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
- Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
- Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Abstract
Humans show marked variation in body size around the world, both within and among populations. At present, the tallest people in the world are from the Netherlands and the Balkan countries, while the shortest populations are central African Pygmies. There are genetic, genetic plasticity, developmental, and environmental bases for size variation in Homo sapiens from the recent past and the present. Early populations of Homo species also have shown considerable size variation. Populations from the present and the past are also marked by sexual dimorphism, which, itself, shows group variation. There is abundant evidence for the effects of limited food and disease on human growth and resultant adult body size. This environmental influence has been reflected in "secular trends" (over a span of years) in growth and adult size from socioeconomic prosperity or poverty (availability of resources). Selective and evolutionary advantages of small or large body size also have been documented. Heritability for human height is relatively great with current genome-wide association studies (GWAS) identifying hundreds of genes leading to causes of growth and adult size variation. There are also endocrinological pathways limiting growth. An example is the reduced tissue sensitivity to human growth hormone (HGH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) in Philippine and African hunter-gatherer populations. In several short-statured hunter-gatherer populations (Asian, African, and South American), it has been hypothesized that short life expectancy has selected for early maturity and truncated growth to enhance fertility. Some island populations of humans and other mammals are thought to have been selected for small size because of limited resources, especially protein. The high-protein content of milk as a staple food may contribute to tall stature in East African pastoral peoples. These and other evolutionary questions linked to life history, male competition, reproduction, and mobility are explored in this paper.
Collapse
|
22
|
Boyette AH, Lew-Levy S, Sarma MS, Valchy M, Gettler LT. Fatherhood, egalitarianism, and child health in two small-scale societies in the Republic of the Congo. Am J Hum Biol 2019; 32:e23342. [PMID: 31750984 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The study goals were to (a) characterize the cultural model of fatherhood among the BaYaka, a community of egalitarian foragers in the Republic of the Congo; (b) test if BaYaka fathers' quality in relation to the cultural model predicts their children's energetic status; and (c) compare the variance in BaYaka children's energetic status to that of children of neighboring Bondongo fisher-farmers, among whom there is less cooperative caregiving, less resource sharing, and greater social inequality. METHODS We used informal interviews to establish the cultural model of fatherhood, which we used to build a peer ranking task to quantify father quality. Children's energetic status was assessed by measuring height, weight, and triceps skinfold thickness. We then tested for associations between father quality scores derived from the ranking task and children's energetic status using ordinary least squares regression. Equality of variance tests were used to compare BaYaka and Bondongo children's energetic statuses. RESULTS The BaYaka described fathers as responsible for acquiring resources and maintaining marital harmony, welcoming others to the community and sharing well with them, and teaching their children about the forest. Agreement on men's quality in these domains was high, but father quality did not significantly predict children's energetic status. BaYaka children had lower variance in energetic status overall compared to Bondongo children. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that the core BaYaka values and practices that maintain egalitarian social relations and distribution of resources help buffer children's health and well-being from variation in their fathers' qualities in culturally valued domains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam H Boyette
- Department of Human Behavior, Evolution, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sheina Lew-Levy
- Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Mallika S Sarma
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | | | - Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, Eck Institute for Global Health, William J. Shaw Center for Children and Families, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The goal of the review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the mechanisms underlying variation in human stature. RECENT FINDINGS Human height is an anthropometric trait that varies considerably within human populations as well as across the globe. Historically, much research focus was placed on understanding the biology of growth plate chondrocytes and how modifications to core chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation pathways potentially shaped height attainment in normal as well as pathological contexts. Recently, much progress has been made to improve our understanding regarding the mechanisms underlying the normal and pathological range of height variation within as well as between human populations, and today, it is understood to reflect complex interactions among a myriad of genetic, environmental, and evolutionary factors. Indeed, recent improvements in genetics (e.g., GWAS) and breakthroughs in functional genomics (e.g., whole exome sequencing, DNA methylation analysis, ATAC-sequencing, and CRISPR) have shed light on previously unknown pathways/mechanisms governing pathological and common height variation. Additionally, the use of an evolutionary perspective has also revealed important mechanisms that have shaped height variation across the planet. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge of the biological mechanisms underlying height variation by highlighting new research findings on skeletal growth control with an emphasis on previously unknown pathways/mechanisms influencing pathological and common height variation. In this context, this review also discusses how evolutionary forces likely shaped the genomic architecture of height across the globe.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Terence D Capellini
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Genomic Evidence for Local Adaptation of Hunter-Gatherers to the African Rainforest. Curr Biol 2019; 29:2926-2935.e4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 07/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
|
25
|
Reynolds AW, Mata-Míguez J, Miró-Herrans A, Briggs-Cloud M, Sylestine A, Barajas-Olmos F, Garcia-Ortiz H, Rzhetskaya M, Orozco L, Raff JA, Hayes MG, Bolnick DA. Comparing signals of natural selection between three Indigenous North American populations. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:9312-9317. [PMID: 30988184 PMCID: PMC6511053 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1819467116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
While many studies have highlighted human adaptations to diverse environments worldwide, genomic studies of natural selection in Indigenous populations in the Americas have been absent from this literature until very recently. Since humans first entered the Americas some 20,000 years ago, they have settled in many new environments across the continent. This diversity of environments has placed variable selective pressures on the populations living in each region, but the effects of these pressures have not been extensively studied to date. To help fill this gap, we collected genome-wide data from three Indigenous North American populations from different geographic regions of the continent (Alaska, southeastern United States, and central Mexico). We identified signals of natural selection in each population and compared signals across populations to explore the differences in selective pressures among the three regions sampled. We find evidence of adaptation to cold and high-latitude environments in Alaska, while in the southeastern United States and central Mexico, pathogenic environments seem to have created important selective pressures. This study lays the foundation for additional functional and phenotypic work on possible adaptations to varied environments during the history of population diversification in the Americas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Austin W Reynolds
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616;
| | - Jaime Mata-Míguez
- Department of Anthropology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712
| | - Aida Miró-Herrans
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Marcus Briggs-Cloud
- Maskoke, Gainesville, FL 32611
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | | | | | | | - Margarita Rzhetskaya
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
| | - Lorena Orozco
- National Institute of Genomic Medicine, Delegación Tlalpan, 14610 México
| | - Jennifer A Raff
- Department of Anthropology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045-7556
| | - M Geoffrey Hayes
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Molecular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
| | - Deborah A Bolnick
- Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-1176
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269-1176
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Prohaska A, Racimo F, Schork AJ, Sikora M, Stern AJ, Ilardo M, Allentoft ME, Folkersen L, Buil A, Moreno-Mayar JV, Korneliussen T, Geschwind D, Ingason A, Werge T, Nielsen R, Willerslev E. Human Disease Variation in the Light of Population Genomics. Cell 2019; 177:115-131. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.01.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Revised: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
|
27
|
Human Immunology through the Lens of Evolutionary Genetics. Cell 2019; 177:184-199. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.02.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
|