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Ang KC, Canfield VA, Foster TC, Harbaugh TD, Early KA, Harter RL, Reid KP, Leong SL, Kawasawa Y, Liu D, Hawley JW, Cheng KC. Native American genetic ancestry and pigmentation allele contributions to skin color in a Caribbean population. eLife 2023; 12:e77514. [PMID: 37294081 PMCID: PMC10371226 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77514] [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: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Our interest in the genetic basis of skin color variation between populations led us to seek a Native American population with genetically African admixture but low frequency of European light skin alleles. Analysis of 458 genomes from individuals residing in the Kalinago Territory of the Commonwealth of Dominica showed approximately 55% Native American, 32% African, and 12% European genetic ancestry, the highest Native American genetic ancestry among Caribbean populations to date. Skin pigmentation ranged from 20 to 80 melanin units, averaging 46. Three albino individuals were determined to be homozygous for a causative multi-nucleotide polymorphism OCA2NW273KV contained within a haplotype of African origin; its allele frequency was 0.03 and single allele effect size was -8 melanin units. Derived allele frequencies of SLC24A5A111T and SLC45A2L374F were 0.14 and 0.06, with single allele effect sizes of -6 and -4, respectively. Native American genetic ancestry by itself reduced pigmentation by more than 20 melanin units (range 24-29). The responsible hypopigmenting genetic variants remain to be identified, since none of the published polymorphisms predicted in prior literature to affect skin color in Native Americans caused detectable hypopigmentation in the Kalinago.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khai C Ang
- Department of Pathology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
- Jake Gittlen Laboratories for Cancer Research, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
| | - Victor A Canfield
- Department of Pathology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
- Jake Gittlen Laboratories for Cancer Research, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
| | - Tiffany C Foster
- Department of Pathology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
- Jake Gittlen Laboratories for Cancer Research, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
| | - Thaddeus D Harbaugh
- Department of Pathology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
- Jake Gittlen Laboratories for Cancer Research, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
| | - Kathryn A Early
- Department of Pathology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
- Jake Gittlen Laboratories for Cancer Research, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
| | - Rachel L Harter
- Department of Pathology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
| | - Katherine P Reid
- Department of Pathology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
- Jake Gittlen Laboratories for Cancer Research, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
| | - Shou Ling Leong
- Department of Family & Community Medicine, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
| | - Yuka Kawasawa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
- Institute of Personalized Medicine, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
| | - Dajiang Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
| | | | - Keith C Cheng
- Department of Pathology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
- Jake Gittlen Laboratories for Cancer Research, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
- Department of Pharmacology, Penn State College of MedicineHersheyUnited States
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Smith-Guzmán NE. An isthmus of isolation: The likely elevated prevalence of genetic disease in ancient Panama and implications for considering rare diseases in paleopathology. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PALEOPATHOLOGY 2021; 33:1-12. [PMID: 33581446 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpp.2021.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study considers the evidence for elevated frequencies of "rare" diseases in ancient Panama. Indications of population isolation by multidisciplinary sources allow for the possibility that rare inherited conditions may have been maintained at relatively high prevalences in the region due to gene flow restriction. MATERIALS A sample of 267 skeletal human remains with diverse demographical characteristics from Pre-Columbian archaeological sites throughout Panama. METHODS Remains were analyzed macroscopically and hard tissue developmental anomalies were documented. RESULTS Frequencies of developmental anomalies and hard tissue changes consistent with specific rare genetic diseases, such as osteogenesis imperfecta, on the comparatively few human remains recovered from pre-Columbian archaeological sites are elevated as compared with global averages. CONCLUSIONS The paleopathological evidence is concordant with a scenario of isolation in Pre-Columbian times and with an increased presence of genetic disorders in the population. SIGNIFICANCE This study advocates for the special consideration of rare diseases by paleopathologists in regions where populations may have experienced prolonged geographical or social isolation in the past. LIMITATIONS A dearth of local modern epidemiological data and low sample sizes of preserved human remains in certain regions of the country limited the possibilities of spatiotemporal comparisons of rare disease prevalence. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH Further scrutiny of developmental anomalies of genetic origin on ancient Panamanian remains and biomolecular testing of remains for specific disorders should be pursued to confirm the findings of this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole E Smith-Guzmán
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancón, Panamá, Rep. of Panamá, Apartado 0843-03092, Panama.
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Missaggia BO, Reales G, Cybis GB, Hünemeier T, Bortolini MC. Adaptation and co-adaptation of skin pigmentation and vitamin D genes in native Americans. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS PART C-SEMINARS IN MEDICAL GENETICS 2020; 184:1060-1077. [PMID: 33325159 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.c.31873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
We carried out an exhaustive review regarding human skin color variation and how much it may be related to vitamin D metabolism and other photosensitive molecules. We discuss evolutionary contexts that modulate this variability and hypotheses postulated to explain them; for example, a small amount of melanin in the skin facilitates vitamin D production, making it advantageous to have fair skin in an environment with little radiation incidence. In contrast, more melanin protects folate from degradation in an environment with a high incidence of radiation. Some Native American populations have a skin color at odds with what would be expected for the amount of radiation in the environment in which they live, a finding challenging the so-called "vitamin D-folate hypothesis." Since food is also a source of vitamin D, dietary habits should also be considered. Here we argue that a gene network approach provides tools to explain this phenomenon since it indicates potential alleles co-evolving in a compensatory way. We identified alleles of the vitamin D metabolism and pigmentation pathways segregated together, but in different proportions, in agriculturalists and hunter-gatherers. Finally, we highlight how an evolutionary approach can be useful to understand current topics of medical interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Oliveira Missaggia
- Genetics Departament, Biosciences Institute, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Guillermo Reales
- Genetics Departament, Biosciences Institute, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Gabriela B Cybis
- Statistics Department, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tábita Hünemeier
- Department of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Biosciences Institute, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Maria Cátira Bortolini
- Genetics Departament, Biosciences Institute, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Quillen EE, Norton HL, Parra EJ, Lona-Durazo F, Ang KC, Illiescu FM, Pearson LN, Shriver MD, Lasisi T, Gokcumen O, Starr I, Lin YL, Martin AR, Jablonski NG. Shades of complexity: New perspectives on the evolution and genetic architecture of human skin. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 168 Suppl 67:4-26. [PMID: 30408154 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Like many highly variable human traits, more than a dozen genes are known to contribute to the full range of skin color. However, the historical bias in favor of genetic studies in European and European-derived populations has blinded us to the magnitude of pigmentation's complexity. As deliberate efforts are being made to better characterize diverse global populations and new sequencing technologies, better measurement tools, functional assessments, predictive modeling, and ancient DNA analyses become more widely accessible, we are beginning to appreciate how limited our understanding of the genetic bases of human skin color have been. Novel variants in genes not previously linked to pigmentation have been identified and evidence is mounting that there are hundreds more variants yet to be found. Even for genes that have been exhaustively characterized in European populations like MC1R, OCA2, and SLC24A5, research in previously understudied groups is leading to a new appreciation of the degree to which genetic diversity, epistatic interactions, pleiotropy, admixture, global and local adaptation, and cultural practices operate in population-specific ways to shape the genetic architecture of skin color. Furthermore, we are coming to terms with how factors like tanning response and barrier function may also have influenced selection on skin throughout human history. By examining how our knowledge of pigmentation genetics has shifted in the last decade, we can better appreciate how far we have come in understanding human diversity and the still long road ahead for understanding many complex human traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen E Quillen
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Molecular Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.,Center for Precision Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Heather L Norton
- Department of Anthropology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Esteban J Parra
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto - Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Frida Lona-Durazo
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto - Mississauga, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Khai C Ang
- Department of Pathology and Jake Gittlen Laboratories for Cancer Research, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - Florin Mircea Illiescu
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Centro de Estudios Interculturales e Indígenas - CIIR, P. Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Laurel N Pearson
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Mark D Shriver
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Tina Lasisi
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
| | - Omer Gokcumen
- Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Izzy Starr
- Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Yen-Lung Lin
- Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York
| | - Alicia R Martin
- Analytic and Translational Genetics Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.,Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Nina G Jablonski
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania
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Greaves M. Was skin cancer a selective force for black pigmentation in early hominin evolution? Proc Biol Sci 2014; 281:20132955. [PMID: 24573849 PMCID: PMC3953838 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.2955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2013] [Accepted: 01/23/2014] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Melanin provides a crucial filter for solar UV radiation and its genetically determined variation influences both skin pigmentation and risk of cancer. Genetic evidence suggests that the acquisition of a highly stable melanocortin 1 receptor allele promoting black pigmentation arose around the time of savannah colonization by hominins at some 1-2 Ma. The adaptive significance of dark skin is generally believed to be protection from UV damage but the pathologies that might have had a deleterious impact on survival and/or reproductive fitness, though much debated, are uncertain. Here, I suggest that data on age-associated cancer incidence and lethality in albinos living at low latitudes in both Africa and Central America support the contention that skin cancer could have provided a potent selective force for the emergence of black skin in early hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mel Greaves
- Centre for Evolution and Cancer, Division of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Cancer Research, Brookes Lawley Building, 15 Cotswold Road, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5NG, UK
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