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Summary: Tibetans apparently get their high-altitude tolerance from Denisovans, through interbreeding with H. Sapiens prior to the disappearance of the Denisova
by PeterWhittaker 12y ago
Summary: Tibetans apparently get their high-altitude tolerance from Denisovans, through interbreeding with H. Sapiens prior to the disappearance of the Denisovans about 40,000 years ago.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denisovan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denisovan
- danieltillett 12y agoMore accurately humans acquired the high-altitude tolerance gene variant from Denisovans and it was selected for in the ancestors of modern Tibetans. This varient is present in other human populations in East and South East Asia, but only at low frequency. What I think is more interesting is that the Denisovans gene flow came in from males - human girls are easy would be the bumper sticker.
- alphonse23 12y agothey're all humans -- female homo sapiens are easy would be the bumper sticker....
- danieltillett 12y agoThey are all humans but not all Homo sapiens. The Denisovans were a different species to Homo sapiens.
- patrickg_zill 12y agoIf a man and woman are both at high altitude, and the man is chasing the girl, and the man has the gene for h-a tolerance and she doesn't - he can catch her ...
- danieltillett 12y agoNice. Actually the Denisovans gene transfer most likely occurred somewhere in South East Asia. It is not thought that the varient actually evolved for improved high altitude adaption in Denisovans, but was just a varient that later provided some selective advantage at altitude.
- nitrogen 12y agoI followed the link because of who submitted it, knowing it would be about Tibetans' adaptation to high altitude. I was pleasantly surprised to see the connection to the Denisovans. It's fascinating what genetics can reveal about our complex and amazing human heritage.
- dredmorbius 12y agoThanks. The clickbait title really killed this for me. Too Clickbaited; Didn't Read.