(ORDO NEWS) — Geneticists from the University of Melbourne have established that the immune system of modern Papuans has developed thanks to the DNA of Denisovans.
The Papuans, the indigenous peoples of the island of New Guinea, owe up to 5% of their genome to the Denisovans, an extinct human species.
To better understand the significance of the genetic contribution, the researchers studied the genomes of 56 Papuans.
It turned out that Denisovan DNA directly affected the immune system of the Papuans. DNA sequences have altered gene expression in such a way as to adapt the human body to the local environment.
The results of the work confirmed that archaic DNA had a great influence on the formation of genetic diversity and evolution of modern humans and probably influenced many characteristics of people who inherited Denisovan and Neanderthal DNA.
Further study of how the DNA of extinct human ancestors influences gene expression may hold the key to understanding the implications of interbreeding between ancient humans and other groups.
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