AI Article Synopsis
- The emergence of civilization marked a significant shift in human evolution, prompting new adaptations due to reduced connection with nature.
- By analyzing whole-genome data from Late Neolithic/Bronze Age Europeans and modern populations, the study identified key biological pathways affected by cultural practices over the last 6,000 years.
- The findings highlight how factors like metabolism, immune response, and cognitive functions have evolved under different types of natural selection, suggesting further exploration of civilization's impact on human genetics.
Article Abstract
The beginning of civilization was a turning point in human evolution. With increasing separation from the natural environment, mankind stimulated new adaptive reactions in response to new environmental factors. In this paper, we describe direct signs of these reactions in the European population during the past 6,000 years. By comparing whole-genome data between Late Neolithic/Bronze Age individuals and modern Europeans, we revealed biological pathways that are significantly differently enriched in nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms in these two groups and which therefore could be shaped by cultural practices during the past six millennia. They include metabolic transformations, immune response, signal transduction, physical activity, sensory perception, reproduction, and cognitive functions. We demonstrated that these processes were influenced by different types of natural selection. We believe that our study opens new perspectives for more detailed investigations about when and how civilization has been modifying human genomes.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/molbev/msy201 | DOI Listing |
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