A NYT article describes how humans have kept genes originating from Neanderthals that allow the body to "run away" from viruses. When the ancestor of the modern human left Africa, they were exposed to the Neanderthals, who had left the continent millenia ago. While Neanderthals passed along pathogens to the unprotected humans, they also provided ancient humanity with genetic resistances through interbreeding. Some of these genes help humans fight influenza and H.I.V by altering the shape of key proteins. These genetic resistances remain to this day.
Read more at: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/04/science/neanderthal-genes-viruses.html
-Ed
No comments:
Post a Comment